All I Am
by Phantom Rosabelle
Summary: AU. Warnings inside. PRiS takes a different turn when Andros is captured by Darkonda. A divided Astro team continues their mission while their leader relearns the meaning of friendship and love. Andros/Ashley.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** The Power Rangers are not mine.

**Warning:** Reasons for the rating include: slavery as a recurring theme and strong violence, as well as heavy implications of torture and abuse. Oh, and there's also sex. These are touchy subjects for some people, and if you would prefer not to read a story containing these elements, feel free to hit the back button.

**Author's Note:** This AU is built up around three different ideas. The one that you need to know to understand the first chapter is that Andros didn't turn the Megaship around and go back for the other Rangers. The rest will all be explained fully in the story.

An approximate timeline for the starting point of this story would be post-"A Date with Danger." Probably closer to "The Secret of the Locket," but Zhane sticks around.

The decisions the characters make in this story are, with very few exceptions, rational. They have reasons for doing everything that they do. Sometimes just not very _good_ reasons.

And finally, **I owe a huge thank you to AH/AY, Arwennicole, and DarkHonda for their support of this story. **(Go read their stories, they're good!) Enjoy, and please remember to review!

**Chapter 1**

He was so close to freedom that he could practically see it. Hell, he _would_ see it, assuming that his 'ship' could make it into hyperspace without exploding on him. He had to admit that it was unlikely that nothing would go wrong with the pod, but he had come this far and waited this long and he wasn't turning back now. The vessel exploding on him was a risk he was willing to take.

Four months Andros had waited for this chance. For four months, he had let himself be put through hell, let happen almost everything that could possibly have been done to him. Darkonda hadn't killed him, and he hadn't... Andros sighed and rubbed his eyes wearily. At least Darkonda hadn't killed him.

He tried not to think of everything that Darkonda _had _done. Whether it had been by Darkonda's hand or someone else's, everything Andros had suffered, every ordeal he had faced, every degradation he had endured, it had all been the work of the bounty hunter.

It was easier to lay the blame on Darkonda rather than himself. Had he wanted to, Andros could have ended it. Darkonda had made that clear shortly after Andros's capture.

_"It would be a shame to kill you, Red Ranger," Darkonda remarked, slowly circling his newfound prisoner. Andros was unbound but also unmorphed, the Megaship long gone by his own orders. "Such a waste of training."_

_Andros didn't answer. He stared straight ahead into the dark shadows of Darkonda's ship, his chin held high as he pretended to ignore how the tip of Darkonda's blade trailed over his neck. Though the sensation was unpleasant, the metal didn't quite pierce through his skin. _

_"Would you like to live, Red Ranger?"_

_Still Andros kept his mouth shut. The lack of response displeased Darkonda. His captor made that clear by dealing him a hard blow to the ribs with the hilt of his sword. Darkonda leaned in closer, and Andros's stomach churned._

_"Answer me, Red Ranger," Darkonda growled, "or I may decide to slit your throat after all."_

_"Yes." Andros finally spoke, and he spoke calmly, though his fingers curled into fists at Darkonda's sneer._

_"Yes?"_

_"I want to live." He didn't like the glint in Darkonda's eyes._

_"Baldric is dead." Darkonda watched intently for Andros's reaction. The Red Ranger twitched nervously, and the bounty hunter chuckled darkly. "I see you remember him. I can assure you that he remembered you as well; there weren't many that escaped. But with him gone, there is no one to reclaim you."_

_"The Astro Megaship has is no longer present in this system," the AI spoke up, and Darkonda rounded on Andros._

_"If you think for one moment that I won't find that ship of yours--" He was cut off when Andros drove an uppercut to his jaw._

_"You should have taken the ship when you had the chance," Andros retorted, far removed from the helpless child Darkonda had encountered eleven years earlier. "You were careless."_

_The comment only infuriated Darkonda further but Andros didn't regret it. He ducked to avoid losing his head, determined that he would never again beg for mercy from this pitiless brute. Andros fought with everything he had in him, at a serious disadvantage without his morpher but refusing to acknowledge the fact. _

_Darkonda didn't waste his chance when Andros missed a block and planted a foot into his stomach, sending the Red Ranger sprawling. Andros landed hard, his back scraping against the rough decks. Unable to keep from groaning, he slowly began to roll over onto his side, freezing cold when he felt unforgiving metal pressing against his neck._

_"Know that I will find whatever it is that you're protecting," Darkonda vowed, and Andros gulped. _

_Zhane had been willing to die for him and now it was Andros's turn. No matter what torture Darkonda forced upon him, Andros would never help him find the Megaship. The healing chamber was well hidden but Andros didn't doubt that Darkonda would eventually find it, and Darkonda with that much firepower at his dispense would be nearly invincible. _

_"You have two choices, Red Ranger," Darkonda warned. "You do exactly as I say--or you die. Which will it be?"_

Andros had chosen to obey, and in the end, he'd escaped with his life--or so it seemed--but it been at a high price. His body would always bear the scars. His self-respect was all but gone, half of him still believing that he should have defied Darkonda and chosen death.

Maybe he should have. Andros didn't know and truth be told, he didn't care any longer. All that mattered now was that he made it somewhere safe. Just where that was, however, he didn't know. Eltare was still under siege; Darkonda had been under the impression that Dark Spectre had plans to settle there permanently, adding one more insult to a long list of injuries. KO-35 was out of the question; even if Darkonda didn't think to search for him there, Andros didn't think he could bear setting foot on his now-abandoned homeworld.

Aquitar, he mused as his eyes strayed over the dimly lit instrument panel. Aquitar was still free, and Andros thought he could make it there with the amount of fuel he had left. The Aquitian Rangers were his allies; Andros knew that they would aid him.

He spared another glance at the fuel gauge and sighed. Earth was much closer, and his chances of arriving alive therefore much better. However, he couldn't be sure that Earth was still free, and even if it was--a big _if_--even if it was, Andros wasn't so sure that the Earthen Rangers would be eager to help him. Shame colored his face at the memory of how he had just... abandoned them.

_They were waving to him. He might have been totally unfamiliar with the traditional handshake of Earth, but he did know that waving was one way to say goodbye. For one moment, his hands stalled on the controls, and Andros merely gazed at the viewing screen showing him the four Earth-humans with their hands raised to him in farewell. _

_They had wanted to remain with him, to help him in his mission. He hesitated then, wondering if maybe he should have taken the time to consider their offer more seriously, instead of dismissing them with ill-concealed scorn. His eyes closed and sighed, shaking his head forcefully. _

_No. He worked alone. Satisfied that he was making the right decision, Andros grasped the accelerator resolutely and thrust it forward, taking the Megaship into the sky and leaving the first humans he had seen in two years behind. _

_"Okay, Deca, let's get going." Andros paused to shake off the last vestige of doubt. "Mega-Accelerator to Hyperrush Three."_

_"Hyperrush Three initiating now," Deca replied, and Andros tried not to sigh. He knew that she didn't approve one bit what he had just done, and she was going to express that the way she always did: She'd feed him wilted vegetables for three days and all the hot water would mysteriously disappear._

_The blur of motion he caught from the corner of his eye had his head snapping to the side, and he did a double take as he realized what--who?--he was looking at. "Alpha, what are you doing here?"_

_"Listen to me, Andros," the robot pleaded. "You're making a big mistake. Can't you see that the five of you have the same mission? You're supposed to be a team."_

_"I believe that Alpha has a valid point, Andros," Deca spoke up._

_"Quiet," he ordered before he thought better of it. No, she wasn't happy with him at all. "Look, I work alone," he continued. "I don't need them."_

_"If you're going to rescue Zordon, you'll need to take all the help that you can get."_

_Andros paused, weighing the truth of Alpha's words against his own fears. "Deca--" He stopped, closed his eyes briefly, and then shook his head. "Deca, Hyperrush Nine."_

_Alpha left the bridge soon after, and Andros was left alone with Deca, who for the time being appeared content with being uncooperative. Andros glanced up at the camera mounted over the viewing screen, and sighed. _

_"You think I should have gone back for them," he stated accusingly. _

_"It does seem to be the wisest option," Deca agreed._

_"No, it doesn't," Andros said sharply. "You saw what happened on KO-35, Deca. I've been fine on my own for two years now. I don't need their help."_

_"You said the same to Reya," Deca reminded him, reproof clear in her voice. "You do remember the outcome of your decision?"_

_As long as he lived, he would never forget that day. Andros almost changed his mind right then. "This is different," he almost whispered. "This is the right thing to do."_

_If the alarm hadn't shrilled, Andros was fairly confident that Deca would have argued otherwise. His head snapped up as Deca quickly silenced the noise, bringing the viewscreen to life._

_He knew that ship. Andros swore softly under his breath, bathed in cold sweat. He knew that ship, he knew its commander, he knew that he was in deep trouble._

_"Arm the Megalasers," he ordered, his hands clenching over the controls. "Evasive action, and fire on my command."_

_"The Megalasers cannot be charged."_

_Andros swore more loudly this time. They must have been damaged during the crash-landing. You should have checked them, he rebuked himself, but it was too late for that now.  
_

* * *

Another false signal. He blew out his breath in frustration, knowing that his superiors on Eltare, or rather Meisia, would be most displeased with this news. And, of course, he would take the heat for this latest failure, never mind that Tan was the one who had compiled the information that had lead him to this desolate system, empty of light and life. 

Arietis shook his head with a sigh, surpressing the bitterness that washed over him. Regardless of his less than flattering opinion of the Red Eltaran Ranger, he had a job to do. With his patience long gone, he turned his attention back to the console before him and studied the readout.

He had plenty of fuel and could easily check out the next closest signal, still arriving back on Meisia by the planet's nightfall. He might as well, knowing that he'd be dispatched to that same location in a day or two anyhow. Arietis sighed again and shifted into hyperspace.

* * *

The lasers weren't a memory this time. Andros jerked to attention as light streaked across the viewing screen. So he'd been missed after all. Cursing, he grabbed ahold of the controls and held on tight, wondering why escape pods weren't equipped with weapons. He could have used one. 

The pod was in such poor condition that forcing it into hyperspace would likely tear it apart. Andros could only push forward as much as he dared and watch helplessly as the ship he had just fled slowly gained on him. It would only be a few moments more before he was captured yet again and this time, he wouldn't be so lucky.

He was clenching the controls hard enough to turn his knuckles white. There was no way he would survive if they chose to fire on him, but he doubted that they would. Darkonda would be most upset if he were killed, and Andros knew that the bounty hunter would act quickly.

The engine sputtered. The one working control panel, which just so happened to be the back-up console, lit up like crazy as the engine's stalling took its toll on most other crucial functions. The tiny pod shuddered forcefully, tossing Andros forward into the control panel.

He picked himself up with a groan, simply too exhausted to pay any attention to what he suspected were his rapidly bruising ribs. Life support was unstable now, but it didn't seem so important with himself about to be captured yet again...

More laser fire streaked across the viewing screen, and Andros's head snapped up. This was a different ship. The firing pattern, the color, it was all different. His heart pounded wildly as he caught a glimpse of the ship--could it really be? The viewing screen went dark before he could get a good look at it, but he knew that ship.

His hands trembled with exhaustion and excitement as Andros went to work trying to repair the damage done. If he was right, and he just _had_ to be, he wasn't about to suffocate before being rescued.

Andros had no idea how much time passed before he heard a quiet rasping sound on the outside of the pod. He backed up to the corner of the pod, arms raised to fight if necessary, but then the hatch was pried open and he almost cried to see who stood in the airlock.

The figure paused, staring at him. "Andros?"

He nodded weakly, exhaustion crashing down on him now that he knew he was safe. "Please," he rasped. "Help me."


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: **The Power Rangers are not mine

**Chapter 2**

Eltare had fallen after a long siege with the wizard Zordon captured, the military in full retreat, and the civilians fleeing for their lives. Of their seven Rangers, but two had perished.

The Red Ranger and one of the female team members--Andros couldn't remember what color Cia wore--had made it safely out of Eltare to set up base on Meisia. The compound was hidden beneath the barren surface of the moon and so far had gone undiscovered.

It was through these halls that Andros now half walked, half stumbled, supported by the arm Phantom Ranger had about his shoulders. With the aid of his longtime ally, he managed to walk as far as the guest room nearest the skyport.

"Thank you," he mumbled. He stumbled slightly as he entered the room, from exhaustion more than weakness.

Phantom regarded him seriously for a few moments. "I'll take you to Earth in the morning. I suggest you get some sleep."

The concept of sleep, uninterrupted rest in a comfortable bed, appealed to Andros. It was all he could do to keep his eyes open. "Thank you," he whispered again, clutching the pile of clean clothes closer to him.

"You owe me nothing," Phantom responded after a brief pause. "Good night."

Andros didn't answer, instead closing and locking the door behind him. The room was a small one but there was an adjoining bathroom and suddenly, Andros wasn't so tired. Taking the clothes, he headed straight for the shower.

He locked the door behind him and tugged on the faucet handle, reveling in the feel of warm, clean water against his hands. How long had it been since he'd last been clean? he wondered, as he worked his boots off. He couldn't remember. He had a vague recollection of showering but looking at himself now, Andros couldn't see that it had done any good.

The water felt wonderful against his skin, sluicing away a layer of dirt and dried blood before he'd so much as reached for the soap. Andros hissed softly as he turned and the spray hit his back, his torn skin stinging furiously. Gritting his teeth, he reached for the shampoo and went to work on his hair.

It took the entire bottle until he was content with the result, but when his hair squeaked to the touch, Andros sighed happily and set the shampoo bottle to the side. He ran the fingers of one hand through his now clean hair as he reached for the soap with the other, no longer wanting to tear out each and every strand to keep the greasy mess from falling across his face.

Andros repressed a shudder, his fingers clenching over the soap. Dirt was ground into every pore of his skin and he scrubbed himself frantically until it had melted away, leaving his skin red and chafed from the rubbing, but clean.

Stepping out of the shower, he grabbed up a towel and dried himself off, shivering slightly when the air hit his bare skin. It felt so strange to be clean... Grabbing up the pile of clothes, he stepped into them, marveling at feel of clean cloth against his skin. The warmth was nice, too.

His couldn't help himself from staring hard at his chest as he pulled his shirt on. The thin pink and white lines would be there always and Andros took a hard look at himself, trying to reconcile himself with the fact. He shrugged into the shirt without looking at his back, ignoring the twinge of pain he felt.

His stomach grumbled hungrily, but Andros could wait to eat. He'd eaten something that morning... he thought. His back twinged as if to remind him, and he winced. Yeah, he'd eaten something that morning. At any rate, his legs weren't going to support him long enough to get to some food. Leaving the rags that had once been his flight suit on the ground, he stepped back into the bedroom and collapsed onto the mattress.

* * *

It was a good thing the chair was comfortable--he had been sitting in it far too long. Arietis shifted, leaning back slightly. Tan was still incensed, but with Arietis morphed, there was no way for the Red Eltaran Ranger to know that Phantom wasn't listening. 

A sharp kick to his ankle startled him. Cia smiled at him innocently without taking her eyes from Tan. Though she couldn't see him, Arietis rolled his eyes at the Pink Ranger, but Tan rounded on him a moment later.

"While I'm sure that saving his life seemed a high priority at the time," Tan began, and Arietis grit his teeth, "Andros is not Zordon, and it was _Zordon_ that you were sent to save."

"I _am_ aware of that."

"Then act like it," Tan barked. "Your mission is to locate Zordon of Eltare. I expect results--soon."

That sounded suspiciously like a dismissal, and Arietis raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Will that be all?"

"For now," Tan decided. "Cia, brief Phantom Ranger on our newest information."

"He must be in a good mood today," Arietis commented dryly as Tan strode away.

"As far as Tan's good moods go," Cia agreed. "There is no new information, by the way."

"I thought as much." Arietis stood. "I need to double-check the maintenance done on my ship. I'll be heading to Earth in the morning."

"Earth?"

"I'll be taking Andros back to the Astro Megaship," he informed her. "Currently, the ship orbits Earth." It was none of her business why else he wanted to return to Earth.

"Ah." Cia nodded. "Good luck, Phantom."

"The same to you," he responded, his voice warmer than normal. "May the Power protect you."

Cia nodded to him. "And you."

* * *

_"Andros!"_

_He stopped running at his sister's scream, abandoning his chase of the telekinesis ball that had escaped from them. "Karone?" he called, running tentatively back in the other direction. "Karone!"_

_"Andros!"_

_Her voice was fainter now and he sped up, the trees and the grass moving by in a blur. "Karone? Karone, where are you?"_

_"Andros!"_

_He heard her more clearly now, and ran as fast as he could, his small feet slipping and sliding over the damp grass. "Karone!"_

_He saw her then, clutched in the arms of a... creature much bigger than either of them. She saw him too and screamed his name, kicking and flailing around with her arms. The monster caught sight of him then and turned back towards him, catching ahold of his arm before Andros had the chance to run._

_"You'll do just as nicely," he growled, and Andros's entire life fell apart in an instant._

He was wrenched out of sleep with a scream, his heart pounding furiously. "Karone," he whispered, touching his chest unconsciously. The locket didn't hang there anymore--he had left it behind on the Megaship along with his morpher when he'd surrendered to Darkonda, but it was an old habit.

Andros let out a shaky breath, pushing his hair back from his sweaty face. The motion caused his shoulders to throb in pain, and he winced at the realization of how incredibly sore he was. The adrenaline that had kept him going for so long was gone now, it seemed.

The discomfort seemed nothing when he thought back to his nightmare, though, and he bit his lip uncertainly. He still didn't know what had become of his sister.

"Karone," he murmured again, and let out a deep breath. It was only a nightmare, he told himself sternly, and wiped the sweat from his forehead.

Andros took several moments to compose himself and then pushed back the covers and climbed out of bed. He didn't bother to put on shoes before leaving the room--it was the middle of the night and besides that, he wasn't sure that his stomach would let him wait that long now.

His bare feet padded quietly on the floor as Andros wandered down the corridor. It took him several minutes to realize that he had no clue where he was going. Phantom had explained where they were briefly but Andros had been more concerned with getting some sleep or a shower. No one was around for him to ask now, so he continued exploring on his own.

He stumbled across a kitchen solely by accident. Stomach growling at the prospect of food, real food that he wouldn't have to gulp down before Darkonda could catch on, Andros made a beeline for the Synthetron in the corner. There room held a stove and a refrigerator, but he was too hungry to wait while something cooked.

Waiting only until his food cooled, Andros dug in hungrily and wolfed down half the plate. His appetite appeased somewhat, he took his time with the second half, still not quite believing that he was free. He took another bite of meat, feeling warm inside for the first time in months.

He went for water once his food was gone, downing four glasses without pause. How had he not collapsed from exhaustion or dehydration? he wondered, feeling his eyelids drooping again. He'd wonder about that some more in the morning, he decided, dumping the plate and cups into the sink. Andros knew that he should wash them, but he was too tired to care.

He hadn't taken more than a step towards the door when the Red Eltaran Ranger appeared in the doorway. Tan nodded in greeting and then studied him coolly, looking him up and down. Andros grit his teeth and nodded in reply. He and Tan had never seen eye to eye--but the other Ranger was still giving him shelter and he had to be grateful for that.

"Thank you," he said quietly, "for letting me stay here tonight."

"You would do the same for me," Tan reminded him, and Andros nodded. Regardless of how his personal feelings towards another Ranger, Andros would never refuse them help should they need it. Well... He thought of the Earth Rangers again and bit his lip, trying to assuage his guilt. What would they do if they could see him now? he wondered. Would they believe that he had only gotten what he had deserved?

"I was just going to get some more sleep," Andros began awkwardly.

"Ah." Tan nodded. "If I do not see you before you leave, good luck to you."

"And to you." Andros smiled briefly, a forced smile. "Good night," he added, walking calmly out of the kitchen before fleeing back to his room.

He tried to convince himself that the disdain in Tan's eyes had always been there. Contempt dealt out because he was not Eltaran Andros could accept. Contempt dealt because he was not deserving of his Ranger status, on the other hand... Andros had thrown himself into being the Red Ranger from the moment the morpher had fallen into his hands all those years ago on KO-35. To be told now that he hadn't done a good enough job of it hurt more than the still unhealed wounds Darkonda had left on his back.

Andros started when a hand was laid on his shoulder, jumping a mile in the air even as he whipped around. "Phantom," he muttered, feeling foolish now. "I... didn't see you there..."

"Of course not," his longtime ally agreed, voice slightly surprised. "You are Karovan, you have eyes only in the front of your head."

"Yeah..." Andros shifted his weight around uncomfortably. "When did you want to leave?"

"I am ready if you wish to leave now," Phantom replied. "Tan will survive without my reporting to him for a debriefing."

"I don't want to be of any trouble," Andros began.

"Don't worry about that, my friend," Phantom assured him. "I wish to be out of this place nearly as much as you."

Andros looked at him, startled. It had been years since anyone had claimed him as a friend, and of all the people to do so now... He had never thought the Phantom Ranger anything more than an ally, at best a distant acquaintance. Andros suddenly felt very selfish, for a second time having found himself a friend that he neither wanted nor deserved.

"Andros? Maybe you should get some rest--"

"No," Andros cut in sharply. "I'll rest once I'm back on the Megaship."

"Andros," Phantom said carefully, "you will find things different than you remembered them."

That sounded ominous somehow. Andros hurried to keep up with the other Ranger. "What do you mean, _different_?"

Phantom shrugged his shoulders, the gesture so uncharacteristic that Andros almost stopped to stare. "I did not mean a change for the worse," he said, not pausing in his walk towards the skyport. "I think it would be best if I let you see with your own eyes what has happened in your absence."

* * *

The Megaship looked the same as she always had: proud and strong, perhaps a little battle-weary but never ready to surrender. Andros clenched his fists to still the trembling of his hands, his heart pounding as he came closer and closer to home. 

"This is the Phantom Ranger." The comm clicked as Phantom hailed the Megaship, requesting permission to dock his ship.

"Phantom," an exuberant voice exclaimed. "It's great to see you again."

Andros's head snapped up. He knew that voice. He had spent every day of the last two and a half years hoping to hear it again, praying that he hadn't cost the only friend he'd ever had his life. _Please, _he breathed silently. _Please let it be..._

"Is that... is that..." He tried to speak, but his throat tightened and his words ended in a croak.

"I told you it would be best to see for yourself." Phantom sounded vaguely amused as he maneuvered his ship into docking position. "You wouldn't have believed me otherwise."

Andros still wasn't sure that he believed him. He didn't, actually, not until he'd stepped back onto the Megaship almost tentatively and laid eyes on the Silver Ranger himself. Zhane stared back at him, just as shocked, but very much alive.

"Zhane?" he ventured, dazed.

"Andros..." Zhane hesitated, then his old grin appeared. He took a step forward, and slowly extended one arm. Andros moved automatically, crossing his arm against Zhane's and then again with his other arm, their hands meeting in the middle as the crushing weight of guilt lifted. "Welcome home."


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer:** The Power Rangers are not mine.

**Chapter 3**

"There." Zhane stepped back, and Andros heard him crumple bandage wrappers in his hand. "You should be fine in a couple of days."

"How bad is it?" Andros asked dully. "I haven't looked."

"It's not so bad," Zhane assured him, forced lightness in his tone. "No infection, and some of the scarring will be light."

Andros sighed, a slight twinge of pain shooting down his spine as his shoulders slumped. "That's good," he muttered, starting badly when Zhane tapped his left shoulder lightly.

"You know I'd do something about that if I could," he said quietly, passing Andros his shirt back.

"I know." Andros shrugged back into his shirt and hugged his arms against his chest. "But it's permanent."

"Maybe," Zhane agreed, "but you don't have anything to worry about here. That mark doesn't really look like anything unless you know what it's supposed to be."

"Does it matter?" Andros glanced away, carefully studying the deck beneath his feet. "I know it's there, and I know what it means."

"You're not--"

"I know," Andros cut him off. "I can't be both a slave and the Red Ranger, remember?"

Zhane shot him a sharp look, then smiled faintly. "I remember," he said, and reached into his pocket. "Oh," he added casually, "Deca said you left these behind. I thought you might want them back."

Andros's eyes lit up when he saw what it was that Zhane held in his hands. His fingers clenched over the locket as he lowered the chain over his head, hiding it safely beneath his shirt.

"I looked for her," Zhane told him quietly. "Nothing. I'm sorry."

"Thank you," he whispered, carefully fastening his morpher back onto his wrist. "It's enough that you tried."

"It's not," Zhane objected, "but you know you'll find her."

"Yeah." Andros smiled unconvincingly. "I know."

"You will," Zhane insisted. He took a step forward and hugged his friend hard, careful of Andros's injuries as he squeezed his shoulders. "You will," he repeated firmly.

"I know," Andros said again, his voice slightly less toneless now.

Zhane decided that was good enough for now. "Now, you should go rest, unless you want to talk with the other Rangers."

"I..." Andros suddenly looked uneasy. "I..." He didn't finish, and Zhane shrugged.

"You'll have to talk to them sooner or later," he pointed out. "Go rest; I'll fill you in later."

"Thank you," Andros murmured, and for the first time in months, fell asleep in his own bed.

* * *

"What I want to know," TJ declared, "is how he fits into all this."

"I'd think it would be obvious," Phantom commented. "The Red Ranger is, traditionally, the team leader."

Cassie just shook her head, troubled. "But Teej has always been our leader."

"And Andros has always been _our_ leader," Zhane interjected when Ashley and Carlos murmured their agreement. Unlike the rest of them, the Silver Ranger remained standing, braced against one of support structures of the Bridge. His arms crossed over his chest as he surveyed the others.

"Our?" Cassie inquired. "As in, more than just you and him?"

_Damn._ Zhane grimaced slightly, but explained, "There were three others. Blue, Pink, and Black."

"No Yellow?" Ashley wanted to know, and he shook his head.

"The girl chosen to be Yellow Ranger left KO-35 with her family before Dark Spectre ever attacked. There was never anyone else to take her place."

"More importantly," Carlos spoke up, "where are those other three?"

"They're dead," Zhane replied quietly. "Last stand of KO-35." And that was all he was saying.

"Oh." Heavy silence filled the room before Carlos said, "I'm sorry."

Zhane smiled thinly. "Can we get back to the matter at hand, please?"

"Are you all opposed to Andros, then?" Phantom continued as though the last few exchanges hadn't occured.

"Well..." Cassie squirmed uncomfortably. "We can always use more Rangers," she said finally. "And we'd never refuse to be his friend. But, well, I mean--"

"He didn't want us around," Carlos continued for her, and she nodded. "He told us we weren't good enough for him, and then he abandoned us on that planet."

"We aren't Rangers because he gave us these morphers," TJ concluded. "Alpha and Deca were the ones that came back for us, and if they'd been half a second later, Astronema would have killed us--all thanks to him."

"Hey," Zhane protested, indignant on his friend's behalf. "You can't say that."

"Okay, I'm sorry." TJ held up his hands in a silent apology. "But you've got to understand that to us, that's what it looks like."

"Fair enough," Zhane conceded reluctantly, silently cursing his friend. "Andros can be a stubborn ass. But he's also a good leader, and you'll see that if you just give him a chance."

TJ didn't look happy. "That's all we're giving him."

"One chance," Cassie agreed.

"And you two?" Zhane looked to Carlos and Ashley. Neither spoke, but they both nodded. "Good," he declared, relieved. "Oh, and if none of you mentioned to Andros that this conversation ever happened, that'd be really great."

"Are you sure that's such a--" Ashley began, but Zhane cut her off.

"I'm sure. He doesn't need to know this. He's got enough to worry about as it is."

"Okay." TJ decided for all of them. "We won't tell him."

* * *

_"Andros? You awake?"_

He sighed and sat up. "Deca, let him in."

"I brought you some lunch," Zhane announced, almost dropping a tray into his lap.

Andros inspected the plate and cup, recognizing nothing. "What _is_this?"

"Earth food," Zhane informed him, pointing out each item in turn. "Hamburger. French fries. Soda. Trust me, it's almost better than Karovan food."

Andros rolled his eyes, but took a tentative bite out of a fry. "Thanks," he said softly.

Zhane helped himself to a few fries in answer. "You'll have to come to the Surf Spot with us sometime. Adelle's a much better cook than Deca. No offense," he added, glancing warily at the camera mounted across the room.

Andros couldn't help but smile slightly. "Surf Spot?" he repeated.

"It's a restaurant," Zhane clarified. "We go there all the time for lunch."

"Oh." Andros nodded, trying not to let on how much Zhane's use of "we" bothered him. Five years ago, he had been a newcomer to an already established team. Apparently, not much had changed.

It shouldn't be like this, he thought angrily. The morphers, the Megaship--everything they relied on was _his._

"Are you gonna eat that?" Zhane wanted to know. "Because I'm still hungry."

Andros wasn't. "Here." He nearly upset the soda as he shoved the tray towards Zhane. Once free of it, he leaned back against his pillow and stretched, wincing slightly.

Zhane didn't miss his expression. "Give yourself another day or two," he warned. "I did what I could, but some of those cuts were pretty nasty. You should have had them looked at as soon as you landed on Meisia."

"I know," Andros said quietly. "Thanks," he murmured again, and sighed. "How much did you tell them?"

"Well, I had to do some explaining." Zhane set the tray down on the floor and looked at him seriously. "But as far as they're concerned, you had the misfortune of running into Darkonda, who then took you prisoner. You escaped four months later, and Phantom Ranger picked you up in his ship. End of story."

Andros let out a deep breath. "So they don't know about Viton."

"Never heard of it," Zhane promised. "And they won't until you tell them yourself--but it won't bother them, I can promise you that."

"It bothered you," Andros reminded him, and changed the subject. "Tell me about them."

"They're great, all of them." Zhane shrugged. "There's not much else I can say; you'll have to talk to them yourself."

"I--I..." Andros stuttered, suddenly fascinated with a stray thread on his blanket. "I didn't make such a good impression on them."

"I've heard." Zhane laughed and shook his head. "They didn't believe me when I said you were being friendly."

Andros didn't find it nearly as amusing. "I'm serious," he insisted. "If I'm supposed to lead this team, I need them to like me."

"Don't take this the wrong way," Zhane began. "But you could try being likable."

"Zhane..."

"Hey, I'm being serious!"

"I know." Andros glanced away. "I'm not like you."

"And I'm not saying that you have to be. Just--don't take everything so personally."

Andros shot him a sour look. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"See?" Zhane laughed. "You're doing it already."

Andros threw the pillow at him.

* * *

"Are you really okay with this?" Ashley wanted to know, arms folded across her chest as she watched TJ. Zhane and Phantom were gone now, leaving only the four ex-Turbo Rangers on the Bridge.

"I don't seem to have much choice, do I?"

"There's more of us than there are of them," Carlos argued.

"Yeah, but we still need them." TJ shook his head. "We can't just walk off with the morphers and start our own team somewhere else."

"Deca?" Cassie glanced up at the nearest camera. "What do you think?"

"TJ is correct." Deca answered immediately. If Ashley didn't know any better, she'd have thought that the AI was just waiting for the chance to speak. "Were the team to split up, the results would be disastrous."

"You know that for a fact?" Carlos wanted to know.

The red light blinked once. "I have seen it happen and there are many more cases in recorded history."

"Really?" Cassie asked. "When?"

"That information is classified."

"Why is _everything_ on this ship classified?" Cassie complained.

"That information is classified."

"Okay, okay, we get it."

"This is going nowhere," Ashley groaned. "Have we even decided anything?"

"We're giving Andros the chance to prove that he's the leader Zhane says he is," TJ said firmly. "I like it less than any of you, but keeping Earth safe has to take top priority."

"We know you're right." Carlos sighed. "So now what?"

"We should talk to him," Ashley suggested.

"At the very least, welcome him home," Cassie added.

"No," Carlos argued. "Let's give him some space. He's been through a lot."

"Yeah..." Ashley looked torn. "But... maybe we just say hi and then leave him alone? It couldn't hurt, right?"

"I guess not," Carlos relented. "But don't push him, Ash."

Ashley wrinkled her nose at him. "I do know that he needs time, Carlos. I'm not going to push him."

"Okay," TJ headed off an argument. "Let's go say hi."

* * *

Andros groaned when he heard the knock. Zhane had left maybe ten minutes ago and Andros had been thankful. As relieved as he was to find his friend alive... he didn't feel much like being around him. "Tell him to get lost."

"It is the other Rangers." Deca paused briefly. "But I will still tell Zhane if you wish."

"No." Andros sighed. "Could you tell them I'm asleep?"

"Yes, Andros." Deca didn't say anymore but there wasn't another knock.

Andros sighed and rolled over, burying his face into his pillow. He knew that he would have to face the other Rangers sooner or later, but he just couldn't bring himself to do so. He didn't want to know what they thought of him.

_"You could try being likeable._" Andros heard Zhane's voice again and sighed again. He couldn't afford to let this team fall apart the way the Karovan team had. He had been so stupid then. Zhane had tried to reason with him, but Andros hadn't listened and it had cost Reya, Aerynn, and Leyton their lives.

He vowed silently that he would not make that mistake again. Remembering that he was supposed to be asleep, he waited a good half hour before crawling out of bed. Andros pulled his hair back into a neat ponytail and shrugged into his jacket, hoping that he at least looked like a Red Ranger.

"Deca, where are they?"

"The other Rangers are in the holding bay," Deca replied.

"All of them?"

"All of them."

"Thanks, Deca." Andros swallowed hard and left the safety of his room.

Sure enough, Andros found them in the holding bay. Phantom Ranger was there too, somewhat to his surprise. Andros found himself wishing that there were far fewer people in the room when all eyes turned on him and silence fell. Reminding himself sternly that these were his teammates, Andros walked bravely into the room.

"Hey," one of the girls ventured, Andros wasn't sure which. He didn't know their voices and it was hard to tell when he was staring at the floor. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine," he muttered, moving quickly to the Synthetron. He wasn't hungry, which was a strange enough feeling in itself, but it gave him something to do to distract him from their staring.

The table had seemed far too large with only him to fill it. Now it was too cramped, seven people sitting at a table meant for five or six. Andros was able to snag a spot between Zhane and Phantom, the two people who seemed the least interested in him.

He stared hard at his food and ate in slow, measured bites. Everyone was still staring at him. Andros swallowed. It was still quiet. His fingers clenched over his fork as he tried to chew without making too much noise.

He swallowed another mouthful and finally looked up. Everyone promptly looked away but the moment he lowered his gaze, Andros felt their eyes on him again.

_Be likeable. Say something._ "I..." The eyes were back on him again, and Andros felt his face flush. "I, um..." What the hell was he supposed to say now?

"If you guys thought I was tough," Zhane came to his rescue, "you haven't seen anything yet. It's almost impossible to take Andros down."

"Yeah?" the Black Ranger--Carlos--challeneged. "Well, we'll see about that won't we, Teej?"

"You bet we will," the Blue Ranger agreed. They both smiled at him, unmistakably friendly smiles.

Andros tried to smile back. "When do you train?" It was a stupid question, but it was better than trying to stammer through a reply.

"Whenever we have time," Cassie answered. "Between school and our real lives, we're lucky if we can get in a half hour every other day."

"School?" Andros repeated after a brief pause. He decided accusing them of not taking their duty seriously enough wouldn't work well in his favor. _And a lot of good all those hours on the Simudeck did you._ He'd still ended up a slave. _Again_, his mind added viciously. He bit down on his tongue.

"Oh, right, you graduate at fifteen," Ashley said, explaining, "Zhane didn't get it, either. Here, we go to school until seventeen or eighteen."

"Oh..." Andros couldn't think of anything else to say. Ashley smiled at him warmly and he glanced down at his plate quickly.

Something about her made him uncomfortable. He couldn't place it, but instinctively he felt that he should avoid her until he figured out what it was.

"You'll have to come down to Earth with us sometime," Ashley said, and Andros forced himself to listen. "Zhane says it's not so different than KO-35."

That wasn't much of an incentive but Andros kept his mouth shut. She was only trying to be friendly, after all. He shouldn't tell her that he didn't want her friendship, even if it was true. That hadn't worked out at all well the last time he'd said that.

"We're going out tomorrow night," Ashley continued. "You should come with us."

"Yeah, we'll show you around Angel Grove," Carlos nodded.

"It'll be fun," Cassie agreed. "Do you want to come?"

Andros just shook his head. He didn't know how else to reply.

"Oh..." Ashley shrugged, but he thought she slumped a little before smiling brightly again. "Maybe next time, then."

"I have to go," Andros mumbled. He stood and returned his half-empty plate to the Synthetron and then walking calmly out of the holding bay.

He kept on walking calmly until he'd reached his room. Once safely inside, he locked the door and kicked off his boots. Andros crawled into his bunk and drew the sheet up over his head, eyes closed as he tried to calm the pounding of his heart.

He couldn't, and just lay there until sleep claimed him.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: **I do not own the Power Rangers.

**Chapter 4**

Spanish should be outlawed. Ashley stared blearily at her textbook, conjugating irregular verbs in her mind. "Where's Carlos when you need him?" she muttered.

She paused to gulp down a mouthful of orange juice. So she should have studied this last night. She'd even tried to. Was it her fault that she found daydreaming about the Red Ranger more interesting than the Spanish quiz she had in an hour?

_"Amar,"_ she said to herself. _"Yo amaría..."_ She stopped to check herself with the book and groaned. That was conditional.

She was supposed to know the subjunctive. Ashley slammed her textbook shut and let out a sigh. No way was she going to get anything to sink in before first period.

It was only one quiz, she decided finally, brightening a bit. Not even a test, and she could always make it up next week, anyway. Mrs. Browne always let her students make up work and she dropped the lowest score at the end of the semester.

Feeling much better now, Ashley set her book to the side and concentrated on her breakfast. Unsurprisingly, her mind landed on Andros. He was just so... gorgeous.

And he hadn't taken much of a liking to her. To any of them, really. Ashley frowned. Four months earlier, he had refused to take them on as his team... but she thought that he had been a little reluctant.

It was probably all in her head, she was probably just seeing what she wanted to see but she hoped that he would warm up to them as time went by. She truly wanted to be his friend and knew that the others felt the same.

Ashley glanced up when she saw someone hovering in the doorway, almost choking on her orange juice when she recognized him. "Andros," she gasped, coughing. "Morning."

He stepped into the holding bay, carefully avoiding her eyes. "Good morning," he said tonelessly.

Ashley watched him move towards the Synthetron, unsure of what to say. "Sleep well?" she asked finally.

"Fine," he muttered, his eyes anywhere but on her.

So he wasn't much for conversation. Ashley sighed, but didn't stop watching him. He grimaced briefly as he sat down and she looked at him in concern.

"Are you okay?"

He finally looked up at her, startled. "I'm fine," he said shortly. "Don't worry about me."

"Sorry," she offered quietly, still watching him intently. "I can be pushy sometimes. Just tell me if I start to annoy you."

"You aren't." He stared down at his plate while he spoke, thought he still had yet to take a bite.

"Oh." Ashley didn't know what to say to that. _Give it up, Ash,_ she told herself. _He doesn't need that right now. _And he really didn't. Zhane had been vague with the details, but it only took one look into Andros's face to know that he'd been through hell.

She knew she should feel guilty for wanting to force her friendship on him. And she did. _But his eyes are so amazing..._

Annoyed with her own selfishness, Ashley pushed her stool back, grimacing as the legs scraped across the deck. She picked up her plate and cup, returning them to the Synthetron, before stepping back to the table for her Spanish book and backpack.

"I've got to get to class," she explained, balancing her backpack on one knee while she crammed the book into it. Andros didn't so much as glance up and Ashley got the distinct impression that she was talking to herself. "I'll see you later sometime..."

Andros didn't answer, and Ashley left the holding bay with a sigh.

* * *

Her hair always seemed like it was too long early in the morning. Cassie set her brush down with a yawn, casting a longing glance at the warm bed that she had just crawled out of. It wasn't as if she could stay in bed longer if she had shorter hair, but it always took longer to brush her hair in the morning than it did any other time of day.

Yawning again, she shoved her feet into an old pair of sneakers and grabbed her backpack. With any luck, she just might be on time today.

Ashley strolled down the hall as Cassie headed out to breakfast, a slightly dreamy smile on the Yellow Ranger's face. Cassie rolled her eyes to herself, knowing exactly what must be on her best friend's mind.

"Ash," she said, loudly enough to break through Ashley's daydream. "You okay?"

"I just saw him at breakfast..." Ashley's expression was more troubled now. "All I have to do is look at him and it's so obvious that he's hurting... I just want to be his friend."

"Give him some more time," Cassie soothed. "He's only been here a day, after all. He'll let you in when he's ready to."

"I know." Ashley sighed and shook her head, shooting a sideways glance at her best friend. "And how about you?"

Cassie stalled. "What about me?"

"Oh no, you don't," Ashley exclaimed, crossing her arms over her chest. "If you think for one second that--"

"Okay, okay." Cassie held up her hands in surrender before Ashley could get too worked up. "I don't know."

"You're not going to talk to him?"

"I don't know," Cassie said again, trying hard to avoid Ashley's gaze. "I'll talk to you soon, he said on Hercuron. It's been almost three months."

"I know," Ashley said sympathetically. "But he's been busy..."

"Yeah." Cassie nodded her head. "Searching for Zordon comes first."

"I didn't say that," Ashley protested.

"You didn't need to." She hesitated. "Deca, where's Phantom Ranger?"

"Phantom Ranger is currently in Hangar Bay Two," Deca reported, and both girls looked up.

"You don't think--"

"I have to talk to him," Cassie blurted out. "I'll see you later, Ash."

She thought her friend called after her, but Cassie didn't hear her as she took off running down the hall. He was probably just doing maintenence on his ship, she tried to convince herself but even as she skidded to a halt just outside the hangar she knew it wasn't true.

"Phantom?" she called out, watching him freeze at the sound of her voice.

"Cassie," he said quietly, turning slowly to face her. "I was--"

"Leaving," she finished for him, proud of how little bitterness slipped into her voice. "You were leaving."

He couldn't seem to think of a counterargument. "Yes," he agreed. "I was leaving."

"Why so soon?" she pressed. "Can't you stay a day or two?"

"I have much work to do," Phantom replied. "I cannot."

"I understand," she said stiffly. What else was she supposed to tell him? That she wanted him with her more than she wanted the universe safe?

"Cassie..." He hesitated a few moments. "I will be back."

Tears pressed against her eyes. "Yeah." In a year, maybe. But she didn't say that, and just watched as he left her. Again.

* * *

It was cool and quiet in here. Andros lay on his back, arms wrapped around his chest. Sweat plastered his hair to his head, but the cool breeze and the soft grass of the park were soothing as his heart calmed.

Maybe he was weaker than he liked, but he had still managed to work through seven straight levels of training. The last three he had done on sheer determination, but he had done it. He would add another three levels tomorrow and three more the next day, until he could work his way through all twenty training sims effortlessly.

Andros hugged his arms a bit closer to his body. He knew that he should call a team training session soon. His worry was that he wouldn't catch himself before he made the same mistakes that he had last time--mistakes that had been entirely his fault, entirely preventable, and had ultimately led to the fall of KO-35.

_"One more time," Andros insisted, scowling at his teammates. "Aerynn, you and Leyton switch places this time. Reya, cover Aerynn and Zhane, you cover Leyton. I'll--"_

_"Reya and Zhane are our strongest fighters," Leyton cut in, his exhaustion after the two hour workout showing in his irritation. "You're crippling the team by forcing them to the back."_

_"Exactly." The Blue Ranger nodded her head, wiping sweat from her forehead. "A much better strategy would be to team Aerynn and Leyton to be our defensive line while Zhane and I take the most offensive positions and you back us up. And it'd be even better if we took a break first, had some lunch or something."_

_"No," Andros snapped, glaring down the taller girl. "I know what I'm doing."_

_"Andros--" Aerynn could hardly get a word out before he rounded on her._

_"I'm the leader of this team," he reminded her harshly. "You'll follow my orders, and I want you and Leyton in the front."_

_Zhane and Aerynn exchanged uneasy glances before the Silver Ranger turned to Andros. "Hey, we're not questioning you as a leader," he began. "But we're just asking you to consider our suggestions."_

_Andros glared at him, unable to suppress a stinging sensation of betrayal. Zhane was the closest to him in age, and the only one to reach out to him. Andros had dared to think of the Silver Ranger as a friend, only to realize now that he was nothing of the sort._

_"Maybe next time," Andros said, though he had no intention of doing so. "This time, we'll stick to my plan."_

_"Andros, your plans have cost us more battles than they've won," Reya said quietly. "You're a strong fighter, but you don't have the experience or the training to be a strong leader."_

_"But I have enough," Andros snapped back. "Or else Kinwon wouldn't have made me the leader."_

_"No, Andros," Leyton tried. "You're the leader because you're the Red Ranger, but..." _

_He glanced at Reya, who took over. "But we've talked this over and we're not sure that you being the leader is in the team's best interest."_

Andros closed his eyes, scrubbing hard at his face with a sleeve. He wished more than anything that he had heeded the warning they'd given him then. Instead, he had let his hurt and resentment rule his emotions, and he had made some stupid--very stupid--decisions.

He wouldn't make those mistakes again, he vowed to himself. He wasn't twelve years old any longer, and he knew what he was doing now. The other Rangers all seemed friendly enough and it didn't hurt that he was older than half of them.

Slowly, he pushed himself up, shoving sweaty hair back from his face. "Stop simulation."

Andros was gone from the Simudeck before the park had fully vanished. The Earth-born Rangers were at school and Zhane was probably still asleep, but he wasn't sure where Phantom was. Andros wasn't in the mood to see anyone at all, and so he hurried back to his room.

Once safely inside, he locked the door and stepped into the bathroom, locking that door behind him as well. Andros stubbornly kept his back to the mirror as he stripped and stepped into the shower, but he couldn't help catching a glimpse of himself as he dried off.

It wasn't nearly as bad as he had expected it to be, he consoled himself. The old scars he had accepted years ago. The new ones he would eventually do the same. And besides, what did it really matter? He didn't plan on showing them to anyone. Only Zhane had ever seen those scars, though if Andros had been given any say in the matter he would have nursed his own wounds.

Andros sighed and grabbed another towel to wring out his hair. His eyes were still on the mirror and as he turned, he got a good look at the mark on his left shoulder. It wasn't very large and it was really only a crude drawing of two sister planets, Viton and Jenzan--but it branded him forever as a slave.

How long had it been since that had been forced onto him? he wondered, resisting the urge to reach over his shoulder and trace the design. Eleven years, he realized with a sinking heart, almost twelve now. Two thirds of his life and the memories would always haunt him.

Andros let out a deep breath, gripping the counter until he was in control of himself. Dropping both towels onto the bathroom floor, he stepped back into his room and dressed quickly. He knew that if he kept busy the memories would leave him alone. It worked every time.

* * *

"I'm home," Ashley called loudly. "Anyone here?"

There was no answer. Ashley smiled and dropped her backpack just inside the living room doorway. Her shoes landed alongside of her backpack when she kicked them off, and she turned to go grab a snack from the kitchen before starting her homework.

She passed the wall full of family pictures on the way to the kitchen and sighed. When no one else was around, she always looked at these pictures. As much as it hurt, she liked remembering a time when her family had been complete.

Ashley glared at a picture of herself on her father's lap, then one of her with her two brothers. Jonathan had been seventeen when the divorce happened and he'd vanished into thin air along with their dad. It hurt to remember that abandonment but Ashley knew that it hurt her mom more. In five years, there hadn't been so much as a phone call or a postcard.

She shook her head and continued into the kitchen. It was no use living in the past and the Hammonds were still a happy family. Jeff was a freshmen at AGU this year but he still lived at home, and their mom was the greatest.

She was also a great cook. Ashley smiled brightly when she found some leftover chili in the refrigerator. She put the bowl into the microwave and then realized that it was her turn to cook dinner. Ashley liked cooking--but she'd really wanted to be on the Megaship tonight.

_Stop it,_ she scolded herself. _Your family is more important than some guy who doesn't want you around._ But whether he wanted her around or not... Andros wasn't just "some guy." Ashley couldn't explain the feeling that she got from him, but she knew that he was different somehow, special.

"Aww, I wanted that," a voice whined, and Ashley jumped.

"Don't sneak up on me," she complained.

"Sorry." Jeff grinned at her. "Did you save me any?"

"This is the last of it," she said with a shake of her head. "But I think there's the chicken from last Sunday in there."

"Sunday?" Jeff repeated. "That's almost a week old."

"Four days," Ashley corrected. The microwave beeped and she reached in for her chili. "It's still good."

Jeff pouted. "Can't I have any?"

"Get your own." Ashley slapped his hands away. She shrieked when he tickled her sides, smirking when he grabbed the bowl away from her. "I guess I won't make lasange for dinner after all."

He hesitated. "Lasange?"

Ashley smirked at him. "With garlic bread."

Jeff returned the bowl. "I hate you sometimes."

Ashley smiled. "Love you too."


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the Power Rangers.

**Chapter 5**

There was no way around it; he had to leave his room. Andros sighed and sat up, telekinetically gathering up the clothes he'd worn the day before and dumping them into the bathroom hamper. He pulled on his boots and jacket, brushed his hair and then pulled it back.

"Change your sheets," Deca reminded him as he turned to go.

Andros glared up at her red eye. "Didn't you used to say good morning?"

"Good morning, Andros." Deca paused. "Change your sheets."

Sighing, Andros turned back around and stripped the sheets off of his bed. "Thank you," Deca said, her voice unusually satisfied.

Andros didn't answer. He put fresh sheets on the bed and shoved his pillow into a clean pillowcase. Still sullen, he tossed the blanket onto the bed and left it there.

"Make your bed."

"Deca..." Andros started, and then sighed. He knew he wouldn't win. "Okay. What did I do this time?"

"I don't know what you're talking about. Make your bed."

As quickly as he could, Andros spread the blanket out across his bed and smoothed it down. "Can I go now?" he asked sarcastically. "Or is there anything else I need to do?"

Deca didn't answer, and Andros finally left his room. Much of his irritation abated during the walk to the holding bay, but his temper flared up again when he saw the other Rangers huddled around the table conversing in low tones. Andros glanced up at Deca suspiciously.

"Oh, hey, Andros," Cassie greeted him, and everyone whirled around.

"Morning," Ashley and Carlos said simultaneously.

"How are you?" TJ wanted to know.

Andros sighed. "Good morning, everyone," he muttered. "I'm fine."

To his relief, no one questioned that and Deca gave him the food he ordered the first time he ordered it. The table was less crowded now, with Zhane nowhere in sight, so Andros was able to sit an almost comfortable distance away from everyone else.

"Be on the Simudeck tonight for a training session," Andros ordered his plate. "We'll have a scheduled time for training. I understand that you're busy."

"Um... okay," Cassie said, and he thought the others nodded their agreement.

"Good." Andros didn't look up. "Be there at seven."

"Okay." TJ sounded as though he were going to say more but thought better of it. "We'll be there."

They weren't. At seven, Andros found himself alone on the Simudeck glaring at the doors. He crossed his arms over his chest and sighed, shifting his weight from foot to foot.

"Deca, where's Zhane?" he demanded. "Actually, where are all of them?"

"Zhane is with the other Rangers," Deca informed him. "They are all currently at the high school."

"Oh." Andros didn't know what else to say. _Why the hell is Zhane at a school?_

"If I remember correctly," Deca began, "and I do, you never seemed bothered by the fact that Zhane was never less than ten minutes late for training."

"Yeah, well," Andros muttered, "that was different. That was one person. This is five."

"They are only three minutes late," she pointed out. "Is that really so much?"

"Yes," he insisted stubbornly. "It is."

"I will contact them if you wish," Deca offered, but Andros shook his head.

"No, don't do that." That was the last thing he wanted. Andros bit his lip nervously, hating how indecisive he was. What he _really_ wanted to do was hunt them down and drag them to the Simudeck, but given how well that had backfired on him... He sighed. How was he supposed to lead this team if they wouldn't even show up for training?

_"You're late," he scowled at his second, unsurprised when Reya glared straight back at him._

_"I had something to take care of," she informed him coldly. "It couldn't wait."_

_"This is the first training session you've shown up to in a week," Andros stated._

_"I know." Reya smirked, and Andros stared at her suspiciously. While relations between him and the Blue Ranger had been growing increasingly chilly, Reya had always put some effort into hiding her disdain. It worried him that she had ceased to do so now._

_The two glared daggers at each other, neither willing to break first and speak. Had no one intervened, the silence could have stretched on into nightfall. As it turned out, Aerynn looked up from her warm-up stretches then and deeming the situation worthy of her attention, hurried over to step between them._

_"What's going on?"_

_Reya's eyes slid away from Andros for a few moments. "I have news."_

_Andros bit his tongue to keep himself from demanding an explanation and let Aerynn question Reya for him. "Really?" she squealed. "Did you..."_

_The Blue Ranger nodded her head. "Yep."_

_It looked like he was going to have to ask for himself, after all. Andros slowly unclenched his jaw. "What's going on?"_

_Reya's face softened some. "Look, Andros, you're a good kid. But that's all you are--a kid. With some more training and experience, who knows, but the way things are now... we need a change."_

_His stomach flipped at those words. "W--what kind of change?"_

_"We want you to consider letting Reya take over as leader of the team," Leyton said from somewhere behind him. "You'd still be Red, but she would be our functioning leader."_

_Andros reacted before he fully understood the meaning of the words. "No."_

_"We thought you'd say that," Aerynn informed him. "So we planned for it."_

_He just stared at her for a minute. "What?" he finally was able to force out._

_"There's a building in the Kanith district," Reya said quietly. "It's been equipped for you and Zhane to continue your training there. Temporary replacement Rangers will be chosen until you're old enough for the responsibility."_

_"But..." Andros let his voice trail off, then his face hardened. "No. If you want to leave, then leave. I'm not going to, and neither is Zhane."_

_"Everything a Ranger relies on is here on the Megaship." Leyton shook his head regretfully. "We'll need your morphers."_

_Andros closed a hand over his wrist reflexively. They expected him to just give this up? Being a Ranger had given him something to believe in, had made him feel that he was worth more than what Darkonda had sold him for years ago._

_Reya held out her hand and Andros stepped back, shaking his head defiantly. "No."_

_"I'll fight you for it," Reya offered. "Ten Craterites for each of us, whoever has the fastest time wins."_

_He considered that, a long, painful silence stretching over them. "If I win, Zhane and I keep the Megaship and the Ranger Dome," he proposed finally, the guilt weighing heavily on him. What right did he have to drag Zhane into this when he wasn't even there?_

_"If I win, you and Zhane hand over your morphers, and move to the facility in Kanith." Reya paused. "Deal?"_

_Andros gulped. "Deal."_

"The Rangers have gone into active battle on Earth," Deca's voice broke into his thoughts. "Astronema has sent Quantrons."

Andros took a deep breath to fortify himself, releasing it slowly as he scrambled to his feet. "Let's rocket!" he shouted, regaining complete control over his composure as the Power sharpened his focus. "Deca, get me down there."

He found himself in the midst of the battle before the words had left his mouth. Acting on instinct alone, he threw one Quantron forward over his shoulder, kicking another hard in the chest and then calling on his Spiral Saber. Quick slashes took down three more, and Andros glanced around for his teammates without pausing.

Ashley and Carlos fought back to back, as did TJ and Cassie. Zhane darted between both pairs and Andros tried to do the same, quickly bringing down several more of the robots.

He didn't heed Ashley's warning quickly enough and nearly had his legs kicked out from under him. Almost stumbling into Carlos, Andros pulled himself back up and whirled around to return the blow--only to find Astronema standing there in place of the Quantron.

"You," he gasped, quickly taking several steps backwards.

"Red Ranger," Astronema replied curtly. "I've heard some interesting rumors about you lately."

"You shouldn't believe everything you hear," Andros said coldly, raising up his Spiral Saber. "Let's go."

Astronema didn't hesitate, and the two were soon fighting fiercely. Andros ducked and retaliated, she parried. The speed of their battle increased as they moved away from the other Rangers, quicker and deadlier.

"Just give it up, Red Ranger," Astronema hissed. "If you've lost to Darkonda, you don't stand a chance against me."

"Never," he growled. He cringed inwardly at the mention of Darkonda and then pushed the thought away in annoyance. He couldn't afford to become distracted with that right now.

Astronema swung her staff forward and Andros couldn't dodge quickly enough. The explosion of purple lightning all around him dazed him, and as he kneeled over there was another blast. This one missed him, and he managed to roll out of the way of the next attack.

"Astronema..." Andros groaned as he scrambled back to his feet. "You'll pay for that."

Astromena smirked at him, and he flew at her another time. She lunged at the same moment that he did, each of their blades missing by a hair. Andros was sure that he felt the tip of her staff graze the white neck of his collar, and he would have sworn that his Spiral Saber had caught her too.

Maybe he had; Astronema gasped and clutched her neck, and he just stared at her, frozen. She growled furiously as she glanced down at herself, shoving him out of the way and abandoning their fight completely as she searched for whatever it was that she had lost.

Andros spotted it first and scrambled to retrieve whatever it was before she did. He recognized it instantly as a locket and stared in surprise, wondering how he had never noticed before that Astronema wore one. It wasn't so different than his own, really... Curiousity got the better of him, and he flipped it open just as Astronema shouted at him.

He didn't hear her words. His body had seized up the moment he laid eyes on the two portraits inside, his blood running cold. _But... _

"W-w-where did you get this?" he stammered, only watching as she tore the locket from his slack fingers. _Could she... Karone?_

"I've _always_ had it," Astronema snapped, and then she was gone, just vanished into thin air.

"Wait," he shouted after her, too late for her to hear. "Karone..."

"Andros! Hey, Andros!" Zhane popped up at his side, slinging an arm around his shoulders. "You okay?"

"I'm fine," he mumbled, shrugging away from his friend. He needed to get back to the Megaship. Now. "I'll see you later--"

"Not this time, you won't," Zhane said cheerfully as the other Rangers gathered round. "This just about takes care of our workout for tonight--so, we're going out. All of us. As a team.

"You," he added pointedly. "Half an hour away from the Megaship won't kill you."

"But..." Andros quashed the protest before it was all the way out.

If he refused and Zhane demanded an explanation, then he would have no choice but to tell about Karone and he couldn't do that. It lead to far too many other questions that he couldn't answer. On KO-35, there had been an unmistakable stigma that went along with that mark on his shoulder. Andros couldn't be sure that Earth was any different and until he was, he was taking no chances. Being overwhelmed with the friendliness of the other Rangers he could handle--sometimes--but being ostracized would be just too much.

"Much better," Zhane said, satisfied when Andros quieted. "C'mon, let's get going."

* * *

Zhane was trying too hard, yet Andros didn't seem to have a clue. If he hadn't been shoving the guy at her, Ashley would have been amused by the entire situation. No matter how the Silver Ranger prodded his best friend, Andros wouldn't so much as glance up from his plate.

"Oh, come on," he needled, jabbing Andros lightly with an elbow. "Tell them about that one battle with Ecliptor. Y'know, the one in the middle of the night during the thunderstorm--Ashley, you'd like to hear that story, wouldn't you?"

"You tell it best," Andros muttered before she could answer. "You tell it."

He poked at the coleslaw left on his plate with his fork. They'd insisted he try it, telling him that it went great with hot dogs. Ashley had watched him shift the food around on his plate, though he had yet to take a bite out of anything.

"It's not really worth telling," Zhane admitted, and sighed. "Hey, tell Ashley--"

"Not now, Zhane." Andros's voice was soft, but sharp enough that even Zhane looked at him oddly.

"Hey," Carlos ventured from over to her left. "Are you feeling okay?"

"I'm fine."

He certainly didn't look fine, Ashley thought to herself. His hair fell loose across his face, but beneath it she could see that his expression was tired and drawn. His eyes were downcast, filled with horrible pain and sorrow. He was completely miserable, she realized, suddenly wanting nothing more than to just wrap him up in her arms until that look was gone from his face.

"You sure?" she asked quietly. He glared at her, and she couldn't say that she was surprised.

"I'm going back to the Megaship," Andros announced.

No one said a word as the Red Ranger shoved back his seat and all but fled the Surf Spot. The silence held out a moment longer, broken by Zhane's heavy sigh.

"I should have seen it," he muttered, more to himself than the rest of them. "But I thought he was just being..."

"Hey, that wasn't your fault," Cassie said softly. "He needs time. We understand."

"But he doesn't." Zhane tore his eyes away from the door. "He hasn't been this bad since he was first--since I first met him."

Zhane winced slightly, and Ashley eyed him curiously. She saw the others doing the same but none of them asked. He was protecting his friend, and none of them were going to question that. It was no less than they would and did do for each other.

But her eyes strayed towards the doors that Andros had disappeared out of and she let out a small sigh at the remembered pain in his eyes. There was something about him that drew her in, made her want to know him, to _really_ know him. This wasn't about a crush any longer, it didn't matter how gorgeous he was, she just wanted to know who he was and Ashley Hammond didn't take no for an answer.


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer:** The Power Rangers are not mine.

**Chapter 6**

His locket was a simple silver thing hung from a silver chain. Hers had been more delicate, intricately engraved with gold. Andros rubbed it slowly between his palms, feeling the metal warming beneath his skin.

This was the last remnant of his long-forgotten childhood, his last tie to his family. When he'd finally come home to KO-35, it was only to learn that his parents were gone and that he had no home to come back to.

Andros let his breath out slowly, trying not to think about that. He never thought about that unless he had to, and there were plenty of other things to think about now. Like Karone. _Yeah, and that's much better._

The very idea that the twin sister he'd spent half his life searching for could be Astronema was just... too awful to consider. And yet at the same time, it made almost perfect sense.

_"You two follow me," the monster growled. Karone whimpered and Andros shrank back against the door when the sword was waved in their faces again. "And keep quiet this time. Cry again and you'll be sorry. Understood?"_

_Karone was already crying again. Andros squeezed his eyes shut tight when she screamed. He didn't want to be hit again. His cheek was still hurting. _

_"You!" Andros jumped when the monster grabbed him by the shoulder. "You have one second to get out of my way."_

_He scrambled away from the door, closing his eyes again when the door opened. The light hurt his eyes._

_His ankle still hurt, too. The monster kicked him again when he stopped walking and Andros tripped, yelling when his knees hit the ground hard. The monster didn't like that and turned around for him, grabbing him by the hair and yanking him back up. Andros screamed, but it didn't matter._

_"Walk faster."_

_"But my--"_

_"Walk faster," the monster told him, "or I'll kill your sister."_

_Andros tried to keep up with them after that. He tried not to cry, either, but it really did hurt to walk. He was glad when they didn't have to go too far and stopped in front of a building. Karone didn't want to go inside and neither did Andros, but they were both pushed from behind until they walked forward._

_"What took you so long? And why did you bring two?"_

_Andros looked down at his feet when someone knelt down in front of him, too afraid to scream when he saw another monster looking at him. This one was green with red eyes, and Andros didn't breathe until it looked away to Karone._

_"It took me longer than anticipated to find as fine a specimen as you required, Ecliptor," the monster answered. "Take your pick of the two."_

_"Hmm." Ecliptor looked back at him, then shook his head. "No. It will have to be the girl."_

_"Not until I've had my payment."_

_Karone looked at Andros, tears running down her face again when Ecliptor tugged on her arm. He stared back at her, just as confused. He didn't understand what was happening, didn't know what they were talking about. _

_He wanted to go home._

_"I'd be careful if I were you, Darkonda."_

_"Just give me what we've agreed upon," Darkonda snapped, and laid a hand on both children's shoulders. "Or you're getting nothing."_

_Andros reached for his sister's hands. Karone inched closer to him and they huddled together there until Ecliptor and Darkonda finished arguing. Ecliptor pulled on Karone's arm, carefully prying the children apart._

_"Karone," Andros shouted, running after her. Darkonda grabbed him around the waist, just hefting him up over his shoulder and walking away. "KARONE!"_

_He kicked and screamed, thrashing around with his arms and legs. Darkonda gripped him more tightly to keep him from falling, but Andros didn't care. He had to get back to Karone. He just had to._

_"Didn't I tell you to keep quiet?" Darkonda slammed the hatch shut the instant they were back in the shuttle. "Well, didn't I?"_

_Andros was crying too hard to hear him. His face shone with tears, his skin hot and damp. "Karone," he screamed again, kicking hard. "Where's Karone?"_

_He was still sniffling when Darkonda dropped him down to the floor. Andros didn't try to move, just hugging his knees to his chest and curling up right where he was. "Karone," he whimpered._

_"You'll never find her." Darkonda kicked Andros out of his way and slid into the pilot's seat._

_No! No, that couldn't be true. He was going to find Karone. He just had to. Andros squeezed his eyes shut and cried himself to sleep._

He didn't remember much after that. When he'd woken up, Darkonda was nowhere in sight and he was crammed into a room with a few dozen other children. His memory of the next six years was spotty, filled with huge gaps of time where he simply couldn't recall a thing.

He let out his breath very slowly and raised his head up out of his hands. _Breathe... just breathe. _There. That was better. Andros took another deep breath just to be sure, exhaling as he fell back onto his bed.

What was he thinking, dwelling on this? It was over, and had been for years. Thinking about it now would only get in the way of what he was supposed to do.

Pulling the pillow out from under his head, Andros resolved never to think about that again. But there was just one thing he wanted to know, one question that he'd known the answer to for years.

"Deca?" Andros rolled onto his side, staring at her eye. "What happened to my parents?"

"Your parents were listed among the deceased on Eltare five years ago," Deca answered.

He knew that. "No," he said softly. "What happened to them after they left KO-35?"

"Your parents left KO-35 three years after your and Karone's abduction," she informed him, still speaking quietly. "They settled on Eltare soon after. Your mother--" Deca hesitated, and Andros felt his stomach drop. "Your mother gave birth to a son the next year."

Andros almost stopped breathing. "A son?" he repeated weakly, all his senses reeling. "I have a brother?"

"Andros," Deca began gently, and that was all it took.

He swallowed hard, gritting his teeth and closing his eyes. "What was his name?"

"Taren," she said softly. "He had just turned two."

Andros let out a deep breath and unclenched his hands. He had to know. "How did it happen?"

"Their house was destroyed during an attack."

"Oh." He hesitated. "So it was quick?"

"Yes."

"Oh." Andros couldn't think of anything else to say. "Thanks, Deca."

She didn't respond, and he didn't speak again. Andros rolled onto his other side and stared at the wall, his pillow hugged against his chest. A brother. He'd had a brother, and now he'd never know him.

Closing his eyes, he tried to think. Three years after he'd been taken, his parents had left. He would have been nine then, ten the year after. So his brother had he lived would be seven now, maybe almost eight.

The knock on his door startled him, and he jumped. "Who's there?" he called, hoping it was someone he could scare away easily. He felt a flash of guilt for the thought, but he wanted very badly to be left alone.

"It's me," Zhane's voice shouted. "Can I come in?"

"Deca, let him in." Andros sighed and sat up. "What did you want?"

"Here." Zhane tossed some clothes at him. "You won't exactly blend in on Earth in that."

"Earth?" Andros repeated weakly. "Why?"

"Because you're going down there," Zhane reminded him. "Ashley and Cassie are taking you shopping, remember?"

"But--" _But my brother's dead._ But he didn't say that. He couldn't. He wouldn't allow himself to show any emotion, nothing hinting about Karone, or his little brother, or any of it. Grabbing up the clothes, Andros slunk into the bathroom.

Zhane was gone when he emerged, leaving Andros with a few moments to make sure he could control himself. With a sigh, he pulled his hair back into a ponytail and left the room, his heart aching but confident that his face didn't show it.

Ashley looked at him oddly when he appeared in the holding bay. "Is Zhane taller than you?"

"What?" Andros just stared at her.

"Is Zhane taller than you?" she wanted to know. "Those clothes look a little big on you."

"Oh." Andros nodded. The clothes fit well enough, but hung loosely on him. Andros suddenly felt very small in them, and fought his hardest not to let it show. "He is."

"You look taller," she told him, and shrugged. "As soon as Cassie gets here, we'll go."

Andros tried not to sigh. "Sure."

He was already wishing that this was over with. Cassie appeared a few minutes later, and Andros resigned himself to quite literally being dragged from store to store. At their orders, he found himself trying on item after item, and hating each one more than the last.

The jeans were too loose. Loose clothing was completely impractical for someone like him; it would only hinder him during a fight. He thought the fabric was uncomfortable anyway. But he kept his mouth shut and they picked out a few pairs for him when he said he didn't care.

"You looked nice," Cassie assured him, and Ashley gave his arm a tug.

"You just need a shirt or two," Ashley added as they headed across the store. "TJ has plenty of red stuff that he doesn't need anymore."

"Oh." Andros didn't know what else to say, but it sounded like he'd be back on the Megaship soon, and that appealed to him.

"Over here," Cassie called, and with her arm still in his, Andros had no choice but to follow Ashley. He really wished he'd told her hours ago that he hated to be touched. But, determined to get through this as quickly as possible, he hadn't and now his skin was crawling.

"Andros?" Ashley paused, glancing up at him in concern. "Hey, are you okay?"

"Yeah," he muttered, realizing that he'd stopped walking. "I'm fine."

"You always say that," she remarked, still staring at him. "Do you ever mean it?"

They caught up to Cassie then, and Andros was spared the trouble of responding. His stomach flipped nervously as he studied the nearby clothes, wondering just how he could convince them that he wasn't going to wear them.

"Here, what do you think of this one?" Cassie held up one for him to examine while Ashley wandered off to find another few shirts.

"No." Andros hardly glanced at it, but the fact that it had no sleeves was enough. He wasn't wearing anything that wouldn't hide that damned slave mark.

"Okay... this one?"

He just shook his head.

"Hey," Ashley bounced up to them again, her arms filled with clothes. "You like any of these?"

Andros rifled through them quickly, selecting a plain red polo shirt from the bunch. "This one."

"Just that one?"

He was saved answering when their communicators beeped. Ashley and Cassie jumped like they'd just been shocked, and Andros looked at them in confusion. Oh. Earth didn't know who its Rangers were. He sighed and shook his head while they ran around looking for a more discreet location. It was a strange place.

"What's up?" Ashley wanted to know.

"You guys might wanna get back here," TJ's voice responded. "Some guy is looking for Andros. He says his name's Darkonda."

Andros flinched away violently when Ashley laid a hand on his arm. "I'm fine," he said automatically. "We'll be right there."

_What the hell do I do now? _It didn't look like he was going to have much choice in how this worked itself out.

He felt sick to his stomach as the Megaship appeared around him and even worse when he took his seat. Zhane shot him a look clear full of sympathy, and that _really_ didn't make him feel much better. The other Rangers watched him curiously, and he decided against ordering them off the Bridge. That would only lead to more questions after.

Andros set his jaw and stared ahead stonily. "Deca, put the transmission through."

"Red Ranger." He just barely managed not to cringe. Darkonda smiled at him cruelly, his sword in one hand. "You've gone back on our bargain."

Andros didn't answer.

"I won't let you off so easily the next time we meet," Darkonda continued. "By the time I'm through with you, you'll be begging me to kill you."

He didn't doubt it. No matter how hard Andros tried, he knew that he could only take so much before his spirit was broken down completely. He knew Darkonda knew it too.

Darkonda cut the transmission then, leaving Andros and the other Rangers sitting on the Bridge in total silence.

"Andros?" He saw Ashley look over at him, but he carefully kept his eyes trained on the console in front of him.

"I'm fine," he muttered. "I... it's nothing."

"It sure sounded like something," Carlos said from behind him. "Andros, whatever it is that Darkonda wants with you, we can beat him together."

"I don't need you to fight for me," Andros growled. "I can do this on my own."

"Andros, we're you're friends," Ashley said softly, pleading with him quietly. "Let us help you."

"No," he snapped, not caring how harsh he sounded. "You're _not_ my friends, and I don't need you for this."

"Maybe," Cassie said slowly, speaking when even Ashley seemed speechless. "But you're _our _friend and we're not going to let you do this on your own."

"Yeah," Ashley chimed in, reaching out to him.

Andros slapped her hand away without thinking. "Don't touch me," he growled, everything finally working its way out. "I hate it when you touch me. I hate it when you talk to me. Just leave me alone! Is that so much to ask for?!"

The next thirty seconds passed in the loudest silence Andros had ever felt. Zhane reached out to him mentally and Andros slammed his walls up, ignoring anything that Zhane had to say. He heard footsteps walking away from him and the Megalift doors slid open. Out of the corners of his eyes, Andros saw Cassie stand and walk away, Ashley following her only a second later. The Megalift hummed to life and the last of the footsteps faded away, and when Andros finally raised his head up, he was completely alone on the Bridge.

He didn't quite know how he got to his room, but he was aware of himself curling up under his blanket a few moments later, his eyes squeezed shut. He'd probably lost all chance of ever being their friend now. Andros was surprised at just how much that thought hurt.

"Andros." Deca's voice was soft, but instantly penetrated the daze his mind was in. "The Rangers wish to speak with you."

"I'll see them in the morning," Andros muttered in response. He hugged his pillow a little closer and closed his eyes, the pain inside almost unbearable now. It wasn't just his heart that ached now; his throat was too tight for him to breathe and his eyes burned with tears that didn't fall.

"They wish to speak with you now." Deca placed a slight emphasis on _now_. Andros ignored her, squeezing his eyes shut a little tighter. "I've told them you'll speak with them in the morning," she informed him a moment later. "They would rather see you now."

"Yeah, well," he mumbled, "I don't want to see them."

"May I ask why?"

Andros didn't answer, and Deca left him alone for awhile after that. He knew she was still waiting for an answer; she always was, but she had all the time in the world. Andros was unspeakably grateful for that patience. He couldn't imagine how he would have survived the past five years without knowing that she would listen when he was ready to talk.

"Because," he finally managed to say, "I don't want to be around them, and they don't want to be around me."

"Are you sure about that?"

"After what I said to them?" Andros swallowed hard, his breath hitching slightly. "Would you want to be around me?"

"I don't believe that they are as angry as you think they are," Deca said almost gently, and Andros looked up at her.

"What do you mean?"

"They only want an explanation," she told him. "I agree that they deserve one, though how much you choose to reveal is your own decision."

"They're not angry with me?" Andros couldn't believe that. "But... I've been so horrible to them."

"From what I have seen, forgiveness is one of the many virtues of friendship," Deca said, reminding him, "You have said far worse to Zhane than you have to the other Rangers."

"Yeah, but... Zhane's my friend."

"Do you only want one friend?"

"No... but Zhane's like me." Clarity suddenly dawned on him, and he continued, "We're from the same place. I know what to expect from him--as much is possible to expect from Zhane, anyway."

Deca waited, and Andros sighed. "I don't know what to expect from them, or what they expect from me. I don't know what they're talking about half the time and Earth is a totally different place. I grew up with so many different kinds of aliens, and KO-35 was the same. Aliens were everywhere, and no one cared. Here, everyone is the same and I'm the one who's different.

"I feel so stupid here," he almost whispered. "I don't know what to do."

If Deca answered, Andros didn't hear her. He felt sick to his stomach now, tears pressing harder than ever against his closed eyelids. The lump in his throat was still choking him, and his knuckles were white from clutching the pillow.

"It was not their intention to make you feel this way," Deca spoke up a few moments later. "They consider you their friend."

"But--why?"

"That I cannot answer for you," she said gently. "If you wish to know, you must ask them yourself."

"That's the thing," Andros muttered, rolling onto his back. "I don't want to talk to them."

"You have made that comment several times now," Deca remarked. "However, you have yet to convince me of the truthfulness behind it."

Andros didn't answer for a long time, then he slowly opened his eyes and sought out her camera. "Deca..." He stared helplessly into the darkness for a few more minutes before finally asking, "What am I supposed to say to them?"

"You could begin with the truth," she suggested. "I believe that Zhane has omitted many facts in the explanation he provided for them."

"I know." Andros let out a deep breath. "But what am I supposed to say to them? My past hardly excuses the way that I've treated them."

"Perhaps not," Deca agreed, "but from a psychological perspective--"

"Have I ever mentioned how much I hate it when you do that?"

"I don't believe that you have."

"I hate it when you do that."

"I will remember that." Deca paused momentarily, then asked, "Do you wish for my help or not?"

"Yeah." Andros sighed and shoved the pillow under his head. "You know I do."


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer:** The Power Rangers are not mine.

**Chapter 7**

The silence was too loud. Ashley shot a glance at Cassie, who was staring straight back at her. The other girl tilted her head towards the front of the table and Ashley followed her gaze, frowning. They'd all been surprised to see Andros show up to eat with the rest of them after his words the night before. No one had spoken since he'd stepped into the room and he hadn't taken so much as a bite of food. Instead, he was doing what they all seemed to be doing--staring down at his plate uncomfortably.

Ashley studied him for a moment longer, just taking in everything that she could. His shoulders were slouched now, making him look smaller than he was, and he was on the short side to begin with. She'd been surprised to realize just how short the day before; he really did seem taller most of the time.

He looked up then and froze when he caught her staring at him. Ashley couldn't help thinking that he looked trapped as she gazed into his wide eyes, and she suddenly wondered how old he was. A moment before she would have said that he was older than Zhane; now he didn't look like much more than a scared little boy.

It took an effort to look away. Ashley glanced back at her plate for a moment before giving up and admitting that she wasn't hungry. When she shoved her stool back from the table, everyone but Andros quickly followed suit, all of them hurrying out of the room.

"Wait." Andros called after them, and the scrape of metal against metal signaled his standing up. "Please, wait one minute."

After some quick glances between each other, they stopped. TJ turned back to him first, the other three following his lead. Zhane was either still asleep or he had opted to skip breakfast.

"Did you want something?" he inquired, his tone chilly. They'd agreed between the four of them to give Andros a chance to explain himself but that didn't mean that they were in a particularly forgiving mood at the moment.

"I did, actually." Ashley had never heard Andros sound so small as he did now. He wasn't even looking at them, his eyes fixed off somewhere to the side. "I owe you all an apology for what I said yesterday," he said with obvious difficulty. He closed his eyes briefly, then muttered, "I--I'm sorry."

No one responded to that. A look of confusion passed over Andros's face when they began exchanging glances with one another, then it was a deep hurt that made Ashley's heart ache for him. It hadn't been easy for him to say those words and they were standing here ignoring him.

"Hey, it's okay," she heard herself say. "Don't worry about it."

"We've all said stupid things before," Cassie agreed, shooting a sideways glance at Ashley. "It's no big deal."

"It's... not?" A tiny smile appeared on his face, and Ashley almost melted. His smile was as gorgeous as his eyes.

"Just forget about it," TJ told him, another collective glance passing between the four of them. "But we still want to know what it is Darkonda wants with you."

"That's fair," Andros said reluctantly. "I, um... well..."

His head hung forward slightly as he clasped his hands behind his back. "Sit down," he said heavily. "It's a long story."

Ashley slid back onto her stool, not taking her eyes off of him. There was a wild, trapped look in his eyes that told her he was doing this only because he had no other choice.

"You all know that Darkonda was the one who captured me," he began slowly, his voice soft. He hardly betrayed any emotion as he continued. "He gave me a choice--I could either serve him as his slave or I could die. He's after me now because I escaped from him."

"So you took the deal?" Ashley couldn't hear any condemnation in Carlos's tone, but Andros practically bristled defensively.

"If you'd ever watched Darkonda kill a man, you would have done the same," he said stiffly.

"Hey, I didn't mean..." Carlos paused. "Does that mean you _have_ watched him kill?"

"Yes." Andros closed his eyes briefly and shuddered, fists clenching. "There was someone at one of the spaceports on one of the border planets, I don't remember which one. A young officer. He tried to stop Darkonda from taking me and my sister into enemy space."

"Sister?" Ashley blurted out. "You have a sister?"

"I don't know." Andros let out a deep breath. "I should start at the beginning. Darkonda kidnapped us from a park on KO-35 when we were six. He sold Karone to Ecliptor and then--" He bit his lip, letting out a slow breath before he could get the words out. "Then he sold me to the slave traders."

"He did what?" Cassie looked stunned. "But... wow."

Andros studied her carefully, his eyes traveling over each of them in turn. Ashley caught her breath as he looked her straight in the eye for the second time that day, the urge to wrap him up in her arms doubling. The thought that he was just a scared little boy suddenly didn't seem so far off the mark.

"I escaped six years later," he continued. "There were two just captured Karovans, Val and his son, Eiran. They had been returning to KO-35 for Eiran to resume his training to become Red Astro Ranger when they were captured, and it was with their help that I escaped."

"But you're the Red Ranger," TJ observed. "What happened to Eiran?"

"Their shuttle was shot down," Andros answered distantly. "If they weren't killed in the crash, they were killed by the guards. By the time I made it back to KO-35, they were desperate to find someone--anyone--who the Red morpher would respond to. Desperate enough to give the Red morpher to a runaway slave when the Power responded."

"Wow," Cassie murmured again. "But hey, you've done a pretty good job, haven't you?"

Ashley smiled at her friend, but Andros suddenly looked down at his hands. "Zhane didn't tell you guys, did he?"

"Tell us what?" Carlos asked him, frowning slightly.

"About what happened to the Karovan team." His voice was small, almost frightened.

"He said you were a good leader," Ashley said. "That you all fought your hardest, but your teammates died in battle."

"He lied," Andros told them flatly. "There was no team. It fell apart after I became Red Ranger. The Blue Ranger left the team and the Pink and Black Rangers went with her. Zhane and I defended half of KO-35 and they took the other half."

No one spoke for what felt like a very long time. Ashley was actually relieved when TJ broke the silence, though his words caused her stomach to flip nervously.

"What?" His eyes narrowed. "You split up the team?"

"It wasn't my idea," Andros protested quietly, eyes on his lap again. "But I couldn't stop them from leaving."

"But the team split up under your leadership?" Carlos pressed.

Andros nodded wordlessly. His hair fell across his face, hiding his expression, but Ashley thought his eyes were closed.

"But you still defended KO-35 for three years," she pointed out. Carlos glared at her; she ignored him. "That counts for something."

"Does it?" Carlos eyed Andros suspiciously. "If your planet was falling, how could you not notice that you needed a team?"

"I... I made a mistake," he said softly, a plea in his voice for them to understand. "It's not something I'd ever do again."

"No," TJ said slowly. "It's not."

Ashley frowned at his tone but before she could speak up, Carlos added, "Because if you ever do something stupid like that again, it's you who's going to leave."

"The Megaship belongs to me," Andros said coldly. "If I leave, I'm taking it with me."

"Hey," Ashley said loudly. "No one's leaving, right?"

Cassie hesitated. TJ and Carlos were too busy glaring at Andros to hear her. Andros didn't seem to care that she was trying to help him. He shoved his stool back and stalked off, his back tense as he walked away.

"Don't you think that was a little harsh?" Ashley demanded. "You didn't have to threaten him."

"Ash, he just admitted that he can't be trusted as a leader." Carlos shrugged. "The Power wasn't meant for him, either--KO-35 chose that Eiran guy, remember?"

"But the Power chose him," Cassie pointed out, and Ashley stood up.

"I'm going to talk to him." She glanced over Deca. "Where is he?"

* * *

He'd really thought that they would have understood. Andros let the door slide shut behind him, wishing that he could slam it. Kicking the door just wasn't the same, it didn't relieve the anger bubbling over within him. What gave them the _right_ to speak to him that way? They had no idea.

Growling softly, he stormed into the bathroom just to have something to do. He caught sight of himself in the mirror, trembling with anger, face flushed. He looked like a mess. Andros bit his lip as he glared at his reflection, then balled his fists and slammed them both against the glass.

He was surprised when the mirror shattered. Andros stared in confusion as the glass cracked, his eyes widening when blood oozed out of the cuts on his hands. _You put your hands through a mirror, what did you expect?_

He didn't feel any pain, the rush of adrenaline keeping it at bay for now. Slowly, he drew his hands back and hit the mirror again, harder this time. He didn't stop until the frame was empty, the shards of broken glass in the sink, on the floor, everywhere.

"Andros?" Her soft voice caught his attention immediately, his head snapping up to meet her concerned brown eyes. "What happened?"

"How did you get in here?" he demanded, flinching away when she reached out to him.

"Your door was unlocked." Broken glass crunched quietly beneath her feet as she inched closer. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine." He took another step backwards and felt the edge of the tub against his legs. "Get out of my room."

"Let me see your hands," she insisted, just walking up to him and grabbing his wrists when he shook his head. "Andros..."

"I don't want to hear it," he snapped, wrenching his hands away from her. "Just leave me alone."

"Come on." She gave his arm a gentle tug, pulling him back into his room. "You need to take care of those."

Andros glared sullenly at the back of her head when she dragged him out into the hall. He could take care of himself, he didn't need her to do it for him. Just turning around and locking himself in his room was a much better idea. So why the hell was he still following her?

"Sit," Ashley ordered, pointing to the toilet seat in her own bathroom. "Stay there. I'll find something to clean those cuts with."

He did, realizing that the cuts were stinging now. Andros winced and wondered what he'd been thinking. Blood covered his palms and wrists now, staining the cuffs of his jacket a bit.

"Here," Ashley said, coming to sit on the edge of the tub across from him. "Give me one of your hands."

He offered her his left hand reluctantly, sitting quietly while she rolled up his sleeve and washed away most of the blood. He eyed the bandages next to her on the tub but instead of reaching for them as he'd expected her to do, she picked up a pair of tweezers instead.

"You've got glass in your hands," she informed him, tightening her hold on his wrist when he tried to pull away. "It has to come out."

"I'll do it myself," he insisted, glaring at her when she only pulled his hands closer. "I don't need you to--" He bit down hard on his lip to keep from making any noise. That _hurt._

"Sorry," Ashley murmured. "And I'm sorry for what they said to you earlier. That was totally uncalled for."

"I understand," he muttered, taken aback by the sudden flood of emotion. "I don't trust you. No reason why you should trust me, i--is there?"

His breath hitched and he found himself fighting for his composure. If Ashley heard his voice break, she pretended not to notice, her focus still on his cut and bleeding hands.

"I trust you," Ashley said quietly, setting the tweezers to the side and tearing open a sterile wipe. "This might sting a bit."

He hissed softly as she finished cleaning his hand. Of course it stung, and more than a bit--there was alcohol in it. Ashley bandaged his hand quickly and then motioned for his other one. He didn't protest this time, realizing that he'd been wrong yesterday.

Her touch wasn't repulsive after all. His skin did tingle where her fingers brushed against him but it wasn't an unpleasant sensation the way he'd thought. Reluctantly, Andros admitted to himself that he almost wanted her to touch him.

That thought kept him distracted while she cleaned and bandaged his right hand. Andros almost didn't feel the sting anymore, just lost in staring at her. He snapped out of his trance when she lightly kissed his fingers after bandaging them, his eyes widening as she looked up and met his gaze calmly.

"There." She smiled at him, adding gently, "Next time, just scream into a pillow. It works just as well and there's less clean up."

"I... thanks," he muttered, annoyed when he felt himself blush. "I... didn't mean to... I mean... I just..."

"I know." Ashley smiled at him again, giving his hand a gentle squeeze. "Sometimes you just want to hit something. I almost broke a window when my mom told me that my dad wasn't coming home."

"Your father's dead?" Once the question was out, Andros winced at how it sounded but Ashley didn't seem to mind.

"He might as well be," she muttered. "He and my oldest brother haven't been seen or heard from since they left five years ago. For all I know, I've got a whole other family somewhere, nieces and nephews and a few brothers and sisters."

He looked at her for a moment, thinking back to his conversation with Deca the day before. Was it too much to hope for that she'd understand? Andros took a deep breath, never taking his eyes off of her. "I..."

"What is it?" Ashley prodded, touching his arm when he stopped talking. "Andros?"

"I--I--I did have another family," he told her. "I guess."

Ashley waited, watching him silently until he was ready to speak. "My parents went to Eltare after Karone and I were taken," he explained hesitantly. "They had a little boy. He died five years ago and I didn't know about him until yesterday, and Karone... s--she's--" He choked.

Ashley didn't say a word, just gathering him into her arms and holding him close. The feel of someone's arms around him was the last straw. He'd already strained his defenses too far, and as the strange sensation of having someone so close swept over him, Andros did the only thing he could do. He clung to his friend and cried.

* * *

How long had it been since he'd last felt... anything? Arietis couldn't remember. He stared down at the datapad clutched in his hand, the coordinates blurred together. Maybe he'd made a mistake in leaving.

No, he reasoned, it was unimaginable to stop searching just so he could go running off to pursue some ill-fated love affair. Being a Ranger demanded certain sacrifices, as he'd known full well when he'd accepted the duty. The complete lack of a personal life was one of those sacrifices and it had never bothered him until now, as he'd never felt much of an inclination to socialize.

But on the other hand... No. There _was_ no other hand. He had a duty that he had promised to do, and Arietis intended to see it done. That's all there was to it, and if always wondering what might have been with Cassie was the price to pay for that...

He had to stop thinking about that. Arietis sighed and squinted again at the datapad, finally making sense out of something. Two of the five locations Tan had pinpointed he had already searched half a dozen times and found nothing. Another was halfway across the universe, between Aquitar and Earth.

The last two, however, he knew exactly what he would find upon arrival. The first was a desolate, inhospitable planet, the second an asteroid large enough to build a shelter on. He had visited both locations frequently before Divatox had set her sights on Earth.

Hope flared up within him before his mind caught up fully. Tan would just _kill_ him if Divatox was running around the galaxy with Zordon, especially after the incident with Andros.

Arietis frowned to himself. He cared far too much lately what Tan thought of him, to the point where he would waste his time on wild goose chases that impeded the real search. This was not what he was supposed to do.

Without pausing to think, he swung his ship around and headed off in the opposite direction. He'd given his word to find Zordon before Dark Spectre drained him and he was going to do it, Eltare be damned.

* * *

"Deca!" TJ poked the wilting spinach on his plate with a finger. "What did I do this time?"

"I don't know what you're talking about, TJ."

"Deca..." TJ groaned, sighed, shoved the plate back into the Synthetron, and waited. "Do you think you could find it in your heart to just give me a slice of pizza?"

"'Course she will," Zhane yawned as he stumbled into the holding bay. "So long as you give her a day or two to forget about whatever it is you've done."

"I do not forget, Zhane," Deca reminded them all.

"And that's the... Hey, you," TJ snapped, pointing to Zhane. "You lied to us."

"Did I?" Zhane looked genuinely confused.

"Yes," Carlos insisted. "About Andros."

"Oh." Zhane sighed. "That."

"Yeah, _that._" Carlos glared at him. "Andros breaking up the team just slipped your mind, huh?"

"Hey," Zhane said sharply. "That wasn't him."

"Look, Zhane, we'd all lie for our friends," TJ said. "But he told us himself that the team broke up after he joined."

"It wasn't his fault." Zhane sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Look, he never should have been put in charge of that team, and we all knew it. He didn't _want_ to be leader of that team."

"Then why--"

"Because on Karovan teams, the leader had always been the Red Ranger," he explained heavily. "And tradition won out."

"Why didn't he just refuse?" Cassie wanted to know.

"I think he was afraid that if he did, they wouldn't let him be a Ranger at all," Zhane said slowly. "You have no idea how much that morpher means to him."

"He still should have--" Carlos began, and Zhane rounded on him.

"What would _you _have done?" he snapped. "If you were twelve years old, used to being beaten every time you didn't do exactly what someone else wanted you to do, handed a chance to be somebody--what would you have done?"

Carlos hesitated. "He was twelve?"

"Two years younger than me, five years younger than Reya and Leyton, six years younger than Aerynn."

"Wow." Cassie just stared at him. "And they put him in charge?"

"Yes." Zhane sighed. "Look, everyone who had a part in this made mistakes. Big ones. I'm not denying that. But Andros grew into it during the three years we were a team. He knows what he's doing now."

Carlos grumbled something under his breath. Cassie smiled faintly and nodded her head. TJ looked between them, knowing already how Ashley would answer. He sighed.

"We'll take your word for it," he decided reluctantly. "One last time."


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the Power Rangers.

**Chapter 8**

Andros woke up feeling truly rested for the first time in months. He'd been unable to think of much of anything besides his conversation with Ashley the day before, and she'd been in his dreams as well. He couldn't remember much of anything, but he knew that he'd been happy just being around her.

He was almost smiling as he crawled out of bed and dressed, his good mood vanishing abruptly as he realized that it had all been a dream. He'd poured out feelings left bottled up for years while she'd held him tight in her arms and rocked him back and forth. Andros growled softly in disgust, his injured hands clenching. How could he have done that?

She was in the holding bay, as he'd known she would be. He was grateful that she at least wasn't alone, but she was there and he felt his face flush as she smiled at him. Andros looked away quickly, keeping his eyes fixed firmly on the ground. He couldn't look her in the eye without his stomach twisting nervously.

"Morning," she said brightly. "How are you?"

"Fine," he mumbled, eyes on his food.

"What happened to your hands?" Cassie asked softly.

Andros glanced down at the bandages, suddenly feeling unbearably foolish. "I, um, I... it's nothing."

"Okay." Cassie shrugged, swallowing the last of her toast and standing up. "I'll see you later, Ash."

"See ya," Ashley echoed, her eyes never leaving him. "How are you doing?"

"I told you," he muttered. "I'm fine."

"Are you?"

Andros forced himself to glance up at her. She smiled at him and he thought he might be sick. "I--I'm fine."

He'd never felt like this before. There had been people who had disgusted him, angered him, hurt him, a few who had cared for him. Andros had no words for what Ashley did to him. The strangest feelings had been running through him the day before as she'd taken care of his hands, feelings he had no name for.

"Andros?" Ashley leaned forward slightly, laying a hand on his arm. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"I--I..."

"Morning," Zhane breezed in, momentarily sparing Andros from Ashley's attention. "Did I miss anything?"

"You never miss anything," Ashley teased, laughing when he stuck his tongue out at her. "What are you doing up so early, anyway?"

He shrugged, wandering over to the Synthetron. "Couldn't sleep."

Andros frowned, watching the two of them with an odd feeling in the pit of his stomach. It wasn't anything they were saying that bothered him, their conversation was really nothing more than idle chat. But there was something about the two of them together that he found completely unsettling.

He didn't have time to dwell on it. The alarm shrieked and his head snapped up, looking to Deca inquiringly.

"Darkonda has appeared in Angel Grove," she reported, and Andros had to fight not to throw up right there.

"We're on the way," he said, with a quick nod of his head to Ashley and Zhane. "Deca, call the others. Let's go."

Time passed in a blur, with him only distantly aware of himself leading the other Rangers as they rushed up to meet Darkonda. Everything seemed to be in slow motion as he drew his Spiral Saber and moved in to attack, his every blow blocked and countered.

Darkonda was strong, too strong for even the five of them. _He must have drunk that potion again._ Andros growled in frustration when Zhane was thrown almost into him, struggling to force his mind back to the battle at hand. He couldn't concentrate, memories flashing before his eyes, constant reminders of his own weakness. _Onyx..._

Andros snapped his head up and parried Darkonda's latest blow. He was _not_ going to think about that. Not now and not ever, if he could manage it.

Darkonda took advantage of his distraction to slash him across the chest, and Andros cried out despite his suit protecting him from the brunt of the blow. It was with an effort that he kept himself from collapsing completely, strength of will keeping him on his feet more than anything else. Now that he was able, he wasn't going down without a fight.

Sensing his weakness, Darkonda let him alone for a moment, whirling around to blast the other rangers backwards with an eruption of electricity. Andros was ready when he was attacked again, this time catching Darkonda's blade.

"You... you took Karone," he hissed, refusing to let his knees buckle. "Tell me... where is she?" he shouted, the sword slipping away. "Tell me!"

"You'll never find her," Darkonda growled, and threw him out of the way.

Andros felt his left foot slip a little and after that he couldn't keep himself from going down. He grit his teeth and picked himself up, horrified to see Darkonda tossing the other Rangers around like paper dolls. They weren't going to last much longer and as reluctant as he was to accept it, he'd become responsible for their safety the moment he'd found them on the Megaship.

"Get out of the way," he shouted, charging at Darkonda, attacking recklessly. He heard Zhane yelling at him and for a split second remembered that terrible day on KO-35, then pushed it out of his mind. This was different.

"Andros, what are you doing?" Ashley rushed forward to help him up while Carlos held off Darkonda. "We're supposed to be a team, remember?"

"This is my fight," he snapped, shaking her off of his arm. "I don't need you to fight for me."

"Andros--" Ashley's voice was cut off by TJ's warning shout, then all around him was darkness.

* * *

Ashley opened her eyes with a groan, her head pounding. The last thing she remembered was Andros... Darkonda... She gasped and sat up, immediately wishing that she hadn't when her head throbbed.

Carlos was the first thing she saw, sitting stiffly with his back to the wall. Following his gaze, her eyes found Andros glaring down at his lap, arms folded across his chest.

"W--what happened?" she asked unsteadily, and both their heads snapped in her direction.

"We're on Darkonda's ship," Carlos explained with a sharp glare at Andros. "Last time I ever try to save you."

"I don't _need_ you to save me," Andros snapped back. "This is my fight. You're only in the way."

"Darkonda would have killed you."

"No," Andros said quietly, a shadow crossing his face. "He wouldn't have. That would be too good for me."

"So you'd rather have him kill you slowly than let us help you?" Carlos stared at him incredulously. "Is that what you're thinking?"

"I'm thinking that I don't want to be responsible for you," Andros said harshly, glaring at both of them. "I told you to get away, and you didn't listen."

"We're supposed to be a team, remember?" Carlos retorted. "That means we don't abandon each other in the middle of a fight."

"He's right," Ashley spoke up, earning herself another glare. "We're not going to back off and let Darkonda kill you."

"I told you," Andros muttered. "He's not going to kill me."

"Maybe, maybe not." Carlos crossed his arms across his chest and rearranged himself more comfortably. "But that's not the point."

"It is to me," Andros said quietly. "I need to do this on my own."

"Even if it kills you?" Ashley demanded.

Andros sighed, his gaze dropping back down to his hands. "I... you know I don't want to die," he mumbled, visibly hurt. "But I can't let you risk your lives for me. I have to do this on my own."

"Andros..." Ashley sighed and shoved her hair back from her face. "We're Rangers. We risk our lives everyday."

"It doesn't matter. You're still here."

"Because you wanted to play hero," Carlos snapped. "We could have all attacked together, you know. We were trying to, even. Then you come rushing in trying to sacrifice yourself for us--we don't need that, Andros. We don't want that."

Ashley had to agree. "We work best when we're a team, Andros. You said you wanted to keep us safe, but it didn't happen..." She let her voice trail off when she realized how bad that sounded.

Andros shot a hurt glare in her direction, his mouth opening and closing several times before he looked away, ignoring them completely. Ashley frowned sadly at him, hating to see him looking like that but not able to take back her words.

He didn't look back in their direction until the door slid open. Darkonda blocked the doorway, sword brandished in one hand. Ashley's eyes strayed to Andros, his expression for once telling her exactly what he was feeling. He was terrified, his face pale and his eyes wide and round.

"You're far more trouble than you're worth, Red Ranger," Darkonda growled. "Your little stunt cost me my deals with Divatox and Rita and Zedd."

"I'm terribly sorry," Andros retorted, climbing slowly to his feet. "But you really should have known better than to trust Divatox."

Darkonda chuckled to himself, his eyes straying towards Ashley and Carlos. "Braver with your friends around, I see."

"Leave them out of this," Andros growled, slowly raising his fists. He almost looked fearless now. Almost.

"Then follow me," Darkonda ordered, and Ashley watched every muscle in Andros's body tense.

"You'll leave them alone if I do?" His voice wasn't so calm now, though he was fighting bravely for composure.

"For now."

Andros hesitated, then lowered his hands and shook his head. "I'm not leaving them."

Darkonda struck him across the face before any of them could react, and Andros stumbled. Carlos rushed forward just as Ashley snapped back into motion, both of them running to hold back Darkonda while Andros recovered.

With a growl, Darkonda flung Carlos off of him and drove a fist into her stomach. Ashley doubled over, coughing, unable to breathe as Darkonda attacked Andros again.

"Ash," Carlos gasped, rushing to her side. That was a mistake; Darkonda slammed one fist into the side of his head and he went down.

Ashley cried out in pain as Darkonda caught her with a blast of electricity. She flew backwards and hit the wall, unable to move as Darkonda slowly advanced on Andros.

* * *

_"This way, Red Ranger." From behind him, Andros heard Darkonda laugh, the hilt of his sword prodding him along. His stomach, already twisting around itself, coiled painfully at the sight of Onyx Tavern. This wasn't going to be pleasant._

_Andros kept his head up defiantly when Darkonda pushed him through the doors. His Karovan uniform was unmistakable, and he knew instantly that at least several of the patrons had recognized him._

_"Everyone, this is the Red Ranger." Darkonda gave him another shove and added, "Don't damage him too badly."_

_Too many of these faces were familiar to him, Andros realized with a sinking heart. Too many of them he had fought before, and he didn't doubt that they would revel in the chance for revenge. His fears were confirmed when several dozen chairs were pushed back at once, and he had half a moment to decide what he was going to do._

_There was only one thing he _could_ do. If he was nothing else, Andros was a Ranger, and Rangers fought even when there was no hope. Gritting his teeth, he drew himself up and glanced around. The alien to his right held a sword, and Andros moved without pausing to think. _

_His sudden motion had caught them all by surprise. He had just enough time to kick the sword away and then catch it before he found himself in a defensive battle. This wasn't so bad, he told himself, ducking as something whizzed by over his head, suddenly thankful for all the training sims he'd run in the last few years. There were none of them that he couldn't beat._

_Something clipped his sword arm then and he hissed in pain, wondering where that attack had come from. He didn't have time to dwell on it, blocking one side and then another, never having quite enough time to work in an effective attack. The ones he managed to pull off were still far more defensive than he would have liked._

_He brought the sword down, cursing silently when it was caught between two others. Someone wrenched his arm from behind and the weapon dropped, a cry of pain escaping his lips. From the front, someone else caught him hard enough in the stomach to send him flying._

_He landed hard, the wind knocked out of him. The crowd let him lie there and gasp desperately for air, no one moving to either help him or harm him. Andros pushed down hard and managed to raise himself up off the ground. With a groan, he staggered the rest of the way up, arms coming up to continue defending himself._

_He struggled against the aliens that grabbed ahold of him, but it was only for show and he knew it. Andros would fight to the end if he had to--but he really didn't want to die here. He didn't want to die at all._

_"Well," one alien sneered. "What shall we do with you, Red Ranger?"_

_"You could always let me go," Andros suggested, feeling sick to his stomach. "And then--"_

_He groaned when he was punched hard in the gut, doubling over but falling silent. Darkonda strode across the room as the two aliens hauled Andros up again, holding him firmly in place._

_"You won't be causing anymore trouble, Red Ranger," Darkonda growled, his foul breath causing Andros to become sick to his stomach. "Am I right?"_

_Andros clenched his teeth and tried not to breathe. Darkonda laughed to himself and drew his sword, pressing the tip against Andros's neck. "Have you changed your mind, then?"_

Obey or die. Obey or die, obey or die, obey or die..._ Andros bit down hard on the inside of his cheek, struggling not to let his fear show. He didn't want to die. Slowly, he shook his head. "I haven't."_

_"Much better." Darkonda smiled. "Will you be causing anymore trouble here?"_

_Andros shook his head another time. "No," he muttered bitterly._

_"Good. Turn your back to them," Darkonda snapped. The two aliens released him and Andros didn't move. "_Now,_ Red Ranger."_

_Andros moved slowly, almost tripping over his feet when Darkonda jabbed him hard in the ribs to hurry him up. Once he was where Darkonda wanted him to be, Andros stood with his shoulders hunched, waiting for the beating he knew was coming._

_He jumped when Darkonda spoke. "Take your shirt off. Show them."_

_Andros just barely managed not to vomit. Darkonda moved around in front him and slammed a fist into his stomach._

_"You're more trouble than you're worth, Red Ranger," he warned as Andros coughed and struggled for breath. "Do it now and maybe you'll still be able to walk in the morning."_

_Andros bit his lip. Slowly, he shrugged out of his jacket and reached for the hem of his shirt. His back ached as he moved his shoulders, and he bit down hard to keep from groaning. Surprised mutters reached his ears as he dropped the shirt to the ground and Andros stiffened._

_"You all know what the brand means, then." Darkonda laughed. "The Red Ranger escaped as a child from the slave world Viton. Remind him what he is."_

He screamed as he slipped back into consciousness, the sound rasping from his sore throat. A small gasp not quite a sob slipped out and he drew his legs up to his chest, as if he could somehow hold himself together. Of all the things Darkonda had ever done to him, that night on Onyx had been the worst.

No one had beaten him too badly; they'd hardly laid a hand on him, really. But Andros had never come closer to his breaking point as he had that night, never come closer to actually believing that he was nothing more than the slave he'd been trained to be.

A hand touched his hair then and he flinched away, realizing then that he wasn't in his bed. _Darkonda's ship..._ His stomach churned, forcing him to breathe through his nose.

"Andros?" Fingers brushed his cheek this time, wiping away sweat and maybe a few tears. "How do you feel?"

"I'm fine." He opened his eyes slowly, relieved to find that he wasn't crying again.

"You're not," Ashley objected.

Andros didn't argue. As his consciousness returned, he became all too aware of the soreness that seemed to encompass his entire body, from the pounding in his head to the ache in his ribs to the bruises he knew had formed on his legs.

He felt her fingers in his hair and didn't pull away this time, letting her see for herself that he was okay. Or maybe not okay--she touched the skin just below his ear and he moaned before he could help himself. Ashley traced the lump more gently, combing his hair back into place when she was satisfied that the injury wasn't life-threatening.

"Can you sit up? I want to see if anything's broken."

Andros let out a sigh and nodded slowly, frowning as he saw the two jackets wrapped around him. A quick glance at Ashley and Carlos told him that the jackets were theirs, and he bit his lip, fighting hard not to remember how harsh he had been with them earlier.

"You seemed to be in the worst shape," Ashley explained, as she watched him slowly move his arms. "We thought it'd help to keep you a little warmer."

"Oh..." Andros swallowed hard. "Thank you."

Ashley smiled at him a bit, her eyes soft with concern as she studied him. "Do they happen a lot?" she asked suddenly. "The nightmares."

Caught by surprise, he answered before it occured to him to lie. "Every night."

She didn't answer for a moment, just waiting as he flexed his feet and ankles. "Is it always the same one?" she said finally.

"No." He hoped he managed to keep the sharpness out of his voice. Andros didn't want to snap at her again, but she was coming dangerously close to somewhere he did not want her.

"Do you want me to leave you alone for awhile?" Ashley's sympathetic brown eyes bore into his own, and he forced himself to look away

"Yeah." He nodded his head slowly. "Please."

"Okay," Ashley said, and backed away from him.

Andros watched her move across the small cell to check on Carlos, who was, presumably, asleep. With a quiet sigh, he settled back into his corner and tried to make himself comfortable. It hurt to sit up, it hurt to lie down, and he was pretty sure it would hurt to stand up.

"We need a plan," he announced abruptly. "We have to get out of here."

"Ideas?" Ashley inquired, arranging herself in the opposite corner, one knee drawn up and the other bent. She looked far more comfortable than he felt.

"I know my way around the ship," he said. "We just need to get out of here."

"We will," she assured him quietly. "Don't worry about that."

He wished he could believe her.


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer:** The Power Rangers are not mine.

**Chapter 9**

Andros stirred, and Ashley smiled a little. Somehow he had managed to fall asleep in his corner, head pillowed on his knees. She doubted that he was comfortable, but any rest was better than none.

He'd hardly be pleased to know that she had spent the last few hours just watching him sleep and so Ashley glanced away, catching Carlos's eye. He smiled faintly at her and pulled himself up with a groan, crossing his arms over his chest when his stomach rumbled.

"Any chance we'll be getting food?"

"No." Andros's voice was soft but caused them both to look at him in surprise; he'd been more awake than they'd thought. "And probably not anytime soon."

"That's just great." Carlos sighed, then his eyes widened. "Oh."

"Don't," Andros growled. "I don't want your pity."

It was hard not to feel for him. Ashley sighed as she remembered how he'd cried the day before. More than anything, she wanted to just hold him until all the pain was gone from his heart. He wouldn't let her, of course. After he'd calmed down, Andros had withdrawn into himself once again, practically ordering her to leave him alone.

Andros stretched, a slight wince crossing his features as he moved his shoulders. "We have to fight him."

"You said you could get us out of here," she reminded him.

"And I can," he said shortly, then held up his left wrist. "Hope that these work in here."

Ashley exchanged a worried glance with Carlos. "How likely is that?" she said finally, not pleased when Andros hesitated.

"If they were of any use to us, he would have taken them."

"Are you sure?"

Andros shot a withering glare in her direction. "Yes."

"I'm not," Carlos muttered. He tried, and then failed, to morph, sinking back against the wall with a sigh. "Fine. It doesn't work."

"So now what do we do?"

Andros ignored her, concentrating hard on his boots. If he hadn't looked so anxious, Ashley would have been irritated. Instead, she was just scared.

* * *

"Still no sign of them?" Zhane swore loudly at Deca's negative answer, delivering a solid kick to the back of Andros's seat. "It's been almost a day... What about Darkonda's ship? Have you found him yet?"

"I'm sorry, Zhane," she replied, and he tried not to kick the seat again. He knew she was just as worried as he was.

"Nothing?" Cassie demanded, coming up behind him. She crossed her arms over her chest impatiently, glaring over his shoulder to see the results of the latest scan. "How can they have just disappeared?"

"They haven't," he said distractedly. "Darkonda's ship has a cloaking mechanism."

"So they've disappeared," TJ said. Under his breath, "All thanks to the Red Ranger."

That went too far. Zhane didn't stop to think before whirling around, his blue eyes blazing. "And has it occured to you that if _you_ had been a better Red Ranger, Darkonda wouldn't have them now?"

"Hey, calm down." Cassie stepped between the two of them, forcing them each back a few steps. "This isn't helping us find them."

"But it will help us keep this from happening again," TJ retorted. To Zhane, he added, "We've given Andros more chances than I feel he deserves. He's blown them all and he's made it clear that he doesn't want to be a part of this team anymore than we want him on it."

"Well... he did apologize," Cassie reminded him.

"And all of you were more than willing to accept it," Zhane added. "If you didn't mean it, you could have at least told him so. What he told you yesterday--that wasn't a decision he made lightly. He trusts you."

"Which is why he had to fight Darkonda on his own." TJ shook his head. "I don't believe it."

"Do you just want to be Red Ranger?" Zhane demanded. "Because you won't be, even if you take the morpher away from Andros. If you're supposed to be Red, then you're Red. But you're not anymore. The Power decided you're Blue and there's nothing you can do about it."

"This isn't about that," TJ insisted. "Two of my best friends are being held captive somewhere because--"

"They're my friends too," Zhane cut in. "All of them are."

"I--"

"Deca, any new findings?" Cassie interrupted. She shot sharp looks at both of them, adding pointedly, "If you're going to do this, go somewhere else."

"I think we've said enough." TJ sighed and shook his head. "We'll finish this later."

Zhane made a noncommital noise. "Deca, keep looking."

* * *

His feet kicked up a cloud of dust as Darkonda dragged him along. Ashley coughed and Andros grimaced, but he didn't bother to apologize. If he opened his mouth, he had a feeling that he'd find himself emptying his stomach.

Their attempt to overpower Darkonda had failed entirely when he'd shown up with two dozen Quontrons at his disposal. They had still fought for their freedom and now that they had lost, were being hauled across the planet Onyx. The tavern was nowhere in sight, but Andros knew that was exactly where they were headed.

He almost lost his battle not to throw up as they rounded the final corner; the sight of the place made him sick to his stomach. This was the place where he had lost Karone all those years ago, the place where Darkonda had dragged him frequently during the past four months.

"Keep walking," Darkonda growled, when Andros stalled. "Move faster, Red Ranger."

Andros clenched his teeth as he stepped into the tavern, his heart plummeting to the depths of his stomach when the establishment hushed. The silence lasted just a moment, jeers hurtled at him as Darkonda shoved him hard and forced him the rest of the way inside.

He glared around the tavern, his head held high as Darkonda dragged them to the center of the room. He couldn't look away; it would only be worse if they knew how afraid he was.

"The Red Ranger made some friends," Darkonda announced, gesturing to Ashley and Carlos. They glared around the room, just as frightened as he was. "We'll get to them later."

"Start with the girl!" someone shouted, and Andros saw Carlos inch closer to Ashley protectively.

Bile rose in his throat as the call was echoed. Anyone who had tried to take that from him had at least been human... Andros didn't quite manage to repress a shudder as he looked anywhere but at Ashley. He had to do something. He _had_ to.

Darkonda considered that for a few moments, then caught Andros's eye and grinned evilly. "Agreed," he growled. "These two first. The Red Ranger last--and you don't have to worry about damaging him this time. He's gone back on our bargain."

He'd been expecting that.

Andros gulped down his fear and quietly tested how far he could move his wrists apart. Not nearly as much as he would have liked, but he'd have to make it work.

He shot a quick glance at the door. It was closed but not bolted, and he thought Ashley and Carlos were close enough that they could make it out. Darkonda jerked hard on the chain between Ashley's wrists, pulling her forward even more.

Andros didn't wait to see what would happen. "Go," he shouted, and threw himself into Darkonda.

Darkonda dragged Andros down with him as he fell; Andros landed hard on his shoulder and rolled onto his back. He couldn't wait to catch his breath, and so scrambled back to his feet, fists raised defensively.

A quick glance around the room told him that Ashley and Carlos were gone. Andros sighed softly in relief; he'd gotten them into this. At least he'd managed to get them back out.

He didn't have a prayer of winning against all of them, not while he was unmorphed and especially not with a length of chain running between his wrists. Setting his jaw, Andros reminded himself sternly that true Rangers fought even when there was no hope, and besides that... if he had to die, he'd rather die fighting for his freedom than cowering.

They circled around him in a ring, muttering softly between themselves as they surrounded him. Andros turned slowly, unable to keep his eyes on all of them at once. His heart pounded furiously as his eyes darted back and forth, his body tensed in anticipation. He jumped at all the small noises, thinking them the rush of an attacker's feet on the floor.

He didn't hear anything until it was too late. There was a soft tapping on the ground behind him and then he felt a sharp blow between his shoulder blades. Someone caught the chain between his wrists when he doubled over and yanked hard, dragging him forward.

Andros wrapped his hands around the chain and pulled back, struggling to set his feet somehow. They were all around him now, blows raining down on him while he struggled to free his hands. He couldn't, and the swarm closed in on him further.

He couldn't brace his feet when there was another jerk on the chain; he slipped and they dragged him forward over a table. Andros groaned softly when he landed on his stomach, lashing out with his feet when he found he couldn't move his arms.

He felt some small measure of satisfaction when someone grunted in pain. At least he'd managed to hit one person. The feeling vanished when hands suddenly grabbed onto him, holding him down until he could barely breathe.

"What do we do with him now?" someone asked gleefully, and Andros clenched his fists.

"Kill him," Darkonda growled. "Slowly."

Andros bit down hard on his lower lip to keep from reacting, but he couldn't stop the furious thudding of his heart. _I don't want to die_ was the only desperate thought in his mind and he pushed it away angrily, filled with self-disgust.

He couldn't afford fear. He couldn't lie there just waiting for them to kill him. If he died, then he died--but he would not make it that easy for them. Crying out in rage, he reared upwards and threw himself into one last fight.

* * *

"Come _on,_" Ashley hissed, tugging hard on Carlos's arm. "If we don't get in there now, there won't be any point in going back for him."

"I don't like it anymore than you do," he murmured back. "But we won't be doing him any favors if we get caught ourselves."

"I know." Ashley sighed and slouched against the wall they'd flattened themselves against. "But..."

"I know."

Ashley growled something under her breath while Carlos peered around the corner another time. "It looks clear," he announced, and drew his blaster. "We have a plan yet?"

"We're not leaving without him," Ashley said sharply, then let out a deep breath. "Sorry."

"Don't worry about it," Carlos muttered distractedly. "C'mon."

Ashley gulped silently as they crept down the eerily still street. Dressed in the bright colors of their suits, they'd hardly blend into the woodwork on a bright, sunny day, but they had no choice. She hated to think what was happening to Andros with every second that they wasted.

The knot in her stomach tightened as they neared the tavern. Whatever was happening had the patrons in an uproar, the shouts audible nearly two blocks away. They sped up.

Ashley almost lost control of herself when they got a good look inside, just barely keeping her anger in check. Somehow, he was still fighting, though she doubted that he would be able to even move in another few moments.

His clothes were torn and bloodied, and his face was a mess. The chains on his wrists had been twisted around the blade of a sword and then pinned up against a wall, leaving him standing on the tips of his toes. He was still struggling, though it wasn't doing him much good.

They watched in horror as one of the many aliens surrounding him drove a fist hard into his abdomen. Andros groaned and coughed, his body straining against the chains.

Ashley started forward and Carlos caught her arm. She glared at him through her helmet, blinking in surprise when he pointed to her empty hands. "Thanks," she muttered, and drew her blaster. "Now?"

"Now."

She didn't think about how badly they were outnumbered. She didn't think about what would happen to her if they lost. Ashley only concentrated on Andros, and how they couldn't abandon him here.

He didn't raise his head as they blasted their way to his side, hardly moving as Carlos cut him down and tossed his body over his shoulder. Ashley felt a lump rise in her throat but forced it back, concentrating hard on the way out.

Darkonda rushed to block them and they charged at him recklessly. Ashley shot at him, distracting just enough that Carlos could slip past with Andros. He rounded on her with an angry shout, but she flipped herself over his head and, as much to her surprise as his, landed neatly on her glider.

Only Darkonda chased after him, the rest of them had had their fun. Ashley sped after Carlos while Darkonda kicked and cursed at the Quantrons to force them to give chase. It wasn't hard to vanish down one of the dark alleys, and as Carlos kept watch, Ashley turned her attention to Andros.

He was fading in and out of consciousness, but something about her caught his attention. She watched him squint at her, his eyes then widening in surprise and astonishment.

"A--ashley?"

"That's me," she murmured, gently stroking his cheek. "Carlos is calling the rest of the team. Don't worry, we'll be out of here in no time."

He gave no sign that he had even heard her. He still was staring at her in confusion, a tiny smile on his face now. "You came back for me," he whispered, and Ashley found herself fighting back tears.

"Of course we did," she told him, her voice harsh to her ears. "Don't you dare try and tell me that you thought we wouldn't."

Andros was silent for a long moment. "Okay," he murmured finally, and pillowed his head on her shoulder as his eyes closed.


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the Power Rangers.

**Chapter 10**

"You know he'll be fine." TJ's words only earned him heated glares from Ashley and Zhane, and slight nods from Cassie and Carlos. "What? All his injuries are superficial. He'll be fine this time tomorrow."

"No one's forcing you to be here," Zhane reminded him. His voice was civil, but only just. "If there's something you'd rather be doing, then go ahead."

"There are plenty of things I'd rather be doing," TJ retorted. "But I'm here, aren't I?"

Ashley shook her head. "If you're only here because you feel obligated to--"

"It's called loyalty, Ash," he snapped, and sighed. "Whether I like it or not, he's a part of this team, and that means I'm not going anywhere."

"Loyalty?" Zhane raised an eyebrow at him. "A few hours ago, you were blaming him for getting two of your friends captured. I didn't hear anything about him."

"Interrupt me while I'm apologizing, would you." TJ shrugged his shoulders. "Look, I really have nothing against Andros. I'm with the rest of you wanting to be friends with him. All I'm saying is that the way he went off and attacked Darkonda like that isn't how he should be leading us in battle."

Zhane watched him for a few moments, blue eyes narrowed to slits. "Fair enough," he conceded finally. "Assuming I believe you, of course. But just because he did something stupid, is that enough to mean that he shouldn't be Red Ranger?"

"Of course not," Cassie answered for him. "But I think Teej is right. I know that Andros has lived through some horrible things, and maybe that explains how he acts, but we all need to be able to focus during battle."

"Yes," Zhane agreed. "But if this was TJ we were talking about, or Carlos, or Ashley--someone that you knew--would you be saying the same?"

Cassie hesitated. "Yes."

He quirked an eyebrow at her answer. "You sure?"

"That's not fair," Ashley broke in. "Cassie didn't say anything about kicking Andros off the team."

"Neither did I," TJ said loudly. "All I said was that he screwed up."

"That's the same!"

"Ash, chill out," Cassie ordered. "You too, TJ."

"You weren't there, Cassie," Carlos spoke up, his unusually quiet voice catching their attention immediately. "Yeah, he got us caught. But whatever was going to happen to us didn't because he got us out of there."

"Exactly." Ashley shot Carlos a grateful look and added softly, "He thought we weren't going to go back for him."

"Oh." Cassie fell silent, her mouth open but no words coming out. "Wow..." she managed finally. "A--are you guys sure about that?"

"Yes," Ashley said firmly. "I'm sure."

"Idiot." Zhane surprised them all by leaning over and poking a finger into Andros's shoulder. "You never learn, do you."

He let out a short laugh when he glanced back up and saw their faces. "I'd tell you, but it doesn't make a very good story. Let's just say that the hit I took for Andros doesn't even begin to cover how much I owe him."

"He saved your life?" Cassie murmured, and Zhane nodded.

"More times than I can remember." He sighed, frowning briefly. "You can always count on Andros. Even if he _is_ a stubborn pain in the ass."

"But we don't know that about him," TJ protested. "You tell us one thing and then we believe you, and then it turns out later that it's not true."

"Then you have a problem with me instead of with him," Zhane responded calmly. "Which is it?"

"You know," Carlos interjected, "you're actually agreeing with each other. You're both saying that Andros is a good guy who made a stupid decision during the fight with Darkonda."

"We're not saying the same thing," Zhane snapped back. "Because I'm saying that Andros knows what he's doing."

"Will you both _please_ cut that out?" Cassie exclaimed, shoving her hair angrily out of her face. "You've been arguing about this since Andros first showed up, and you've gotten nowhere."

"We need to talk to Andros," Ashley insisted. "It's the only way we'll ever manage to decide on anything."

"Yeah," Carlos agreed. He hesitated. "But what do we tell him?"

"The truth," Ashley said firmly. "We owe him that much."

"I suppose that means I can stop pretending to be asleep now," a quiet voice said hoarsely, and all heads snapped towards Andros.

His eyes were still shut, though he batted irritably at Zhane's hand when the Silver Ranger gave his shoulder an experimental poke. "Will you stop that?"

"Sorry," Zhane said sheepishly, and announced, "He's awake."

"I just said that, didn't I." Andros opened his eyes only to shoot a hearty glare at his best friend. "I want to talk to them alone."

"Okay..." Zhane said slowly. Ashley saw a stung look cross his face, followed by a puzzled sort of hurt as Andros pushed himself up and then turned towards the other Rangers, totally ignoring the Silver Ranger. "I'll be on the Bridge if anyone needs me."

"What was that for?" TJ demanded, as the doors slid shut behind him. "He's your best friend, isn't he?"

"He lied to me," Andros growled. He sighed and shook his head, his voice softer now. "I'm sorry."

"For what?" Ashley demanded gently. "What happened with Darkonda? That wasn't your fault, and you got us out of there."

"It was." His eyes drifted to TJ. "You were right. I wasn't thinking, and that's no excuse."

TJ shifted, a little uncomfortably, Ashley thought. "I guess..."

Andros let out a sigh, combing his fingers through his hair distractedly. "Look, I don't care if you like me or not. But I need you to trust me. I'm the Red Ranger until either the Council of Eltare decides that I'm not, or I pass on the powers of my own free will. I don't intend for either of those things to happen, and so we need to decide how this--this team works."

"Agreed." TJ added, "But not now. You should get some rest."

"Not here," Andros protested when the others all nodded their heads. "I'm sleeping in my own bed."

"I'll walk you to your room," Ashley spoke up. She wanted to be alone with him, just for a few minutes. "I want to talk to you."

He looked at her in surprise, nodding his head slowly. "Okay," he agreed uncertainly, not quite meeting her eyes. "If you want to."

"I do," she said firmly, and slid one arm through his, ignoring the look Cassie shot at her. "Come on. Can you walk okay?"

"I'm fine," he muttered, his eyes fixed firmly on the floor as they stepped out of the med bay. "What did you want?"

"I wanted to thank you," she told him quietly. "For saving us earlier."

"But--I didn't," he blurted out. "If it hadn't been for me, you wouldn't even have been there in the first place."

"That's not important," she insisted. "We're not perfect. What matters is that you got us out of there. If you hadn't distracted them, we'd all still be there, and doubt they had anything pleasant in mind for us."

His face darkened visibly as he shook his head. "You don't want to know."

Ashley tried to suppress a shudder. She managed--barely--and stopped walking, tugging on his arm until he looked at her. "You got us out of there," she repeated. She smiled a little as she added, "And we do like you. Even TJ."

A tiny smile formed on his face, though he was staring at the floor again. "Do you?"

"Yeah." Ashley smiled back at him. Somehow she resisted the impulse to just throw her arms around his neck and hold him tight. "I like you very much."

His eyes darted up to meet hers. "You do?"

"Who _wouldn't_ like you?" she teased carefully. The last thing she wanted to do was scare him away, but now that he was finally responding to her, all she wanted to do was push for a little bit more.

"Thank you," he murmured, and she just smiled as he took a few steps towards his room. "Ashley, I... I'm not used to this. Having teammates I mean. Or friends, really," he admitted softly. He was avoiding her eyes again. "I'm not sure how to do this..."

"It's easy," she assured him. "We like you the way you are."

He was smiling again as they paused in front of his door; she was sure of it. "Thanks," he repeated. Andros hesitated, seemingly about to say more and then thinking better of it.

"Get some rest," she told him. She reached out to trace one of his black eyes before she realized what she was doing, leaning up to kiss his cheek before her brain caught up with her. Ashley felt him tense slightly, but he didn't flinch away. That small smile was still on his face as she turned and walked away.

* * *

Ashley vanished down the corridor, and Andros managed to stumble back into his room. The door slid shut behind him and he didn't bother to turn on the lights, hardly even noticing the darkness as he collapsed onto his bunk.

It didn't matter that it had only been a kiss on the cheek. She'd still kissed him and Andros knew he was grinning like an idiot. No one had ever kissed him, and if anyone had ever wanted to he hadn't noticed.

He rolled onto his back and hugged his arms to his chest. His palms were sweating, but that didn't alarm him nearly as much as the unfamiliar feeling welling up in the pit of his stomach. He was struck with the strangest urge to run after and just... kiss her? Talk to her? Hug her? Andros didn't know and he didn't even care; he couldn't shake the desire to just _look_ at her and see her smile...

Gulping, he rubbed his hands dry on the sheets. That feeling was growing, and he couldn't push her from his thoughts no matter how hard he tried. Andros sighed and rolled over, burying his face into the pillow as he squeezed his eyes shut. Immediately, he saw her behind his closed eyelids and groaned loudly into the pillowcase, at a total loss as to what he was supposed to do now.

He shouldn't be thinking about her like this, he told himself sternly, and flopped over onto his side. It couldn't happen. Ashley didn't want him that way; he knew what to look for, and he didn't see it in her. Although... no one had ever looked at him quite like she did, he admitted to himself and closed his eyes.

If nothing else, he couldn't deny that he really liked the way she looked at him. But there was something in her eyes that frightened him, made him feel totally vulnerable yet completely safe all at once. He wasn't sure yet what that meant; Andros had never found that same gleam in anyone's eyes ever before.

On KO-35, there had been curious stares and sometimes more hostile ones; he had learned to ignore them both. On Viton there had been harsh glares of disdain, cold threats of punishment that immediately had been followed through.

Andros shivered involuntarily, his fingers clenching over the sheets as that once-familiar fear washed over him; the tension brewing in his stomach in the strange silence, the panicked ringing in his ears as measured footsteps somewhere behind him grew louder and louder--

His mouth opened in a silent scream. His knuckles whitened as his fists balled around the sheets, small beads of sweat beginning to stand out on his forehead. Andros gasped and tilted his head back, forcing his eyes open. "Not now," he murmured, swiping angrily at his face with a sleeve. Maybe his nightmares were out of his control, but he was _not_ going to succumb to these visions so meekly when he was wide awake.

It took several minutes of deep breathing for the pounding of his heart to calm, but it did calm. Andros let out one more sigh and rubbed his forehead, simply unable to push the memories out of his mind. He'd almost been expecting this continuous triggering of flashbacks; after the ordeal with Darkonda, Andros honestly would have been surprised if he'd been able to sleep dreamlessly.

The owners (Andros flatly refused to even think _master_) had hardly been the worst part. He'd known what to expect from him, and so long he did exactly what he was told exactly when he was told, he'd gotten along all right. It had been other slaves that had turned his already nightmarish existence into pure hell.

His stomach turned at the memories, twisting itself into tight knots. He breathed more heavily now, inhaling and exhaling rapidly through his nose. Dizzily, Andros watched the room spin as his entire body flushed feverishly. His mouth was watering as he stumbled into the bathroom, that thick bubble of nausea forcing its way up.

Andros collapsed weakly against the wall once his stomach was settled again, furiously wiping away the tears that had gathered unconsciously in his eyes. He couldn't say that he felt any better now than he had before and just sat there, completely drained.

Gradually, his strength returned. Andros staggered to his feet to rinse out his mouth, finding the water strangely cool against his skin when he splashed the rest of his face. He took a few deep breaths before turning off the water and crawling back into his bed, drawing the sheet up over his head as he curled up.

He burrowed deeper beneath his blankets when he heard the knock on his door, pangs of guilt driving him back out when it was Zhane's voice that he heard on the other side. Reluctantly, Andros climbed out of bed to open the door.

"Hi," he greeted his best friend quietly.

Zhane stared back calmly, that unpreturbed and almost amused gaze boring straight into Andros's own eyes. "Hi."

"I..." Andros stepped back to let him in. He chewed slightly on the tip of his tongue as he struggled to force the words out. "I'm sorry."

"Nah, don't be." Zhane just grinned at him. "I'm sure I deserved it, though would you mind telling me what I did?"

Andros glared at him. "You shouldn't have lied about me."

"Yeah... probably not," Zhane admitted. "But you guys will work it out; I talked to TJ a few minutes ago."

"That's not the point," Andros insisted. He couldn't bring himself to say it aloud, and instead looked anywhere but at Zhane as he thought towards the Silver Ranger. _"I thought they liked me."_

"But they do," Zhane surprised him by saying. "You said you were awake that whole time--how did you miss that part?"

"I..." Andros looked at him uncertainly. "But... I thought..."

Zhane arched an eyebrow at him in amusement. "What? I didn't even have anything to do with it--they decided themselves that there's enough good about you to make up for all the times when you act like, well, like a total idiot. And I mean that in the best way possible."

"Of course you do," Andros murmured. He didn't bother to try not to smile. "And I mean it in the best way possible when I tell you that you're a pompous--"

"Hey," Zhane exclaimed, shaking his head. "I said you were an idiot. That doesn't deserve pompous." He paused, then narrowed his eyes. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Andros muttered quickly. He should have known that wouldn't work with Zhane of all people. "Really," he added lamely. "I'm fine."

"Uh-huh." Zhane screwed his face up in thought for a few moments. "So, what did Ashley want with you? She couldn't stop smiling when she finally showed up on the Bridge."

"She wanted to thank me," Andros said, after a slight pause to remember the conversation itself. He squirmed slightly when Zhane grinned at him. "That's all."

Zhane hooted with laughter. "Your face is turning red."

"It is not," Andros mumbled, though he wouldn't have bet on it. "Nothing happened."

"You kissed her," Zhane accused.

"No..." He knew he was blushing now. "I didn't."

The Silver Ranger wasn't easily fooled. "So, she kissed you, then?"

"On the cheek," Andros muttered reluctantly. "But I--"

"It's about time," Zhane declared brightly. "All those years on KO-35 you spent ignoring every girl who noticed you."

"I didn't _want_ to be noticed," he retorted testily, and Zhane eased up a little.

"Ashley's different," was all he said. "You'd love her if you just gave her a chance."

"And then what?" Andros challenged. "Everything's magically okay? It doesn't work like that."

"Of course not," Zhane agreed. "But just because you've seen more than anyone should ever have to--does that mean you're never going to be happy?"

"I--"

"I'm not telling you to marry her, you know," Zhane continued. "Just go talk to her. Let her be your friend. She's good at that. She's a good kisser, too," he added with a sly grin. "Just in case that makes any difference to you."

It did; Andros was struck with the strangest urge to pummel his friend into the ground. "You would know," he muttered, arms crossed over his chest. "And if she liked you, I'm definitely not her type."

Zhane just snorted at him. "Are you blind?"

"What?"

"You must be," Zhane decided, "if you keep missing the way she looks at you."

"What?" Andros said again, louder this time. His palms were sweating again, and his throat suddenly felt very dry. "You don't think she likes me?"

"Nope," Zhane said cheerfully. "I know she does. Probably the only girl who'll ever like you more than she likes me," he added flippantly, and it wasn't until much later that it occured to Andros to wonder if Zhane had deliberately thrown that in to provoke a reaction. "You should at least talk to her. There's four people just waiting to be your friends if you'll only let them in."

"I--I know..." Andros shifted uncomfortably. "I'm trying."

He breathed a little easier when Zhane let that slide. "You should get some rest," Zhane informed him. He glanced back over his shoulder on his way towards the door. "Just think about it."

"Thanks," Andros said softly. Zhane grinned at him and stepped back out into the hall and suddenly very tired, Andros lay down on his bunk again. He'd wonder about everything Zhane had just said later.

"Deca, turn the lights up," he requested quietly. She complied without a word, to his relief. Her advice on top of Zhane's would be too much right now.

Letting out a deep breath, Andros sprawled out comfortably on his bed and closed his eyes against the bright lights of his room. His lips curled into a small smile as he slowly drifted off into as sleep filled with surprisingly pleasant dreams.


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the Power Rangers. I'm just having fun with them.

**Chapter 11**

He almost preferred the nightmares. Andros was still shivering as he crawled back into bed, burrowing deep under the blankets. Nightmares didn't make him blush and stutter every time she was in the room with him. Nightmares didn't make it impossible for him to think of anything else for hours after. Nightmares didn't make him more confused than he already was.

Andros pulled the covers all the way up over his head, tucking his fingertips beneath his arms. He supposed he was ready to admit that he hadn't been completely honest with Zhane the week before--he _did_ want Ashley to notice him. He only had no clue how he was supposed to go about doing that.

What did he know about relationships, anyway, he asked himself with a sigh. He'd never wanted one, always avoiding anyone who might have wanted one with him. It wasn't that he didn't notice the girls; he did, but something inside of him always screamed out in protest when they got too close.

But Ashley was different than any of the giggling girls that had adored him and Zhane. They had all been harmless enough, and Zhane had dated a different one every week. Andros hadn't minded, though he had put conscious effort into never running into any girl Zhane had snuck into the Ranger Dome.

Ashley, though... A tremor ran through his stomach and Andros rolled over to bury his face into the pillow. He spent the next ten minutes wishing for Zhane's charm, or at least his lack of self-consciousness. How was he supposed to get close to her if he couldn't manage to think whenever she was around?

Still wondering, he rolled over and fell into a thankfully dreamless sleep. He woke up again before Deca's alarm sounded and stumbled sleepily out of bed. Andros slipped out of the uniform he'd slept in and dressed quickly in his sweatsuit, pulling his hair back into a neat ponytail. He would be ready the next time he faced Darkonda.

He made the bed before leaving the room, tempted to just crawl back under the warm blankets and sleep for several more hours. It took every last bit of willpower to turn around and walk out of the room. With a sigh, he dragged himself to the holding bay when his stomach growled.

The Megaship was still and quiet this early in the morning, but he knew that it wouldn't last for long. Sure enough, he'd only just begun to eat when another set of footsteps came in his direction. Ashley's cheery greeting reached him a moment later, and he winced slightly. It was too early in the morning to fully appreciate her enthusiasm for everything.

"Morning," he mumbled back, trying hard to smile at her. The gesture was lost when he yawned, but Ashley smiled back at him anyway.

"You feeling okay?" she wanted to know, peering at him in concern over her cereal. "You look kinda sleepy."

Andros shook his head and resisted the urge to rub his eyes. "I had plenty of sleep. I've got too much to do today."

"Oh." Ashley only paused for a moment. "Well, what is it? I'll help you, if you want."

"I just--" Andros swallowed another yawn. His eyes darted to Ashley for an instant before he restrained his gaze to his lap. "I'm just going to be on the Simudeck for awhile."

"When you're done working out, do you want to come down to Angel Grove with me?" she suggested. "I'll show you around, in case you ever want to go down there alone."

"I... um..." Andros hesitated, unsure how to decline politely. "I'll be busy all day," he finally told her, and winced inwardly at how flimsy that sounded. "I mean, um..."

"Yes?" Ashley prompted. Strangely, he thought she was trying not to smile. "What is it?"

"I..." Andros squirmed uncomfortably in his seat. He stared at his lap, knowing that the instant he looked into those warm eyes, what little resolve he still had left would vanish completely. "I can't."

The words left his mouth, and he realized how stupid that sounded. He couldn't think of a better way to spend the day than with her, yet here he was turning her down--why? He couldn't figure out quite what it was, but he was... afraid of something. Having someone so close, maybe. Whatever it was, he wasn't ready for it.

But that didn't stop him from wanting her; wanting to be able to hug her, to kiss her, to just... be there with her. Andros swallowed the ache in his throat and dumped his plate back into the Synthetron, mumbling a goodbye as he fled into the hall.

He didn't stop walking until he reached the Simudeck. Once inside, he locked the doors behind him and started up a lower-level sim, just something to get him stretched out and warmed up. Andros knew this routine by heart and threw himself into the workout, every move so familiar he could do it in his sleep if he had to.

It wasn't until he told Deca to switch to a higher level sim that his problems started. His focus wasn't quite there, he realized, as he ducked away from one Craterite only to take a kick to his stomach from another. He was stumbling, his moves increasingly slow and sluggish until he finally just sat down in the middle of the floor. This was hardly the most difficult sim he'd done this week--_why_ couldn't he just get through it?

Deca stopped the sim without being told and Andros stayed where he was, simmering with frustration. What was he doing just sitting here on the floor? He couldn't do that in battle, now could he, and he certainly shouldn't be doing it now.

"Deca, unlock the doors," he finally muttered in defeat, slowly picking himself up off of the ground. "I'll be back later."

"I suggest you get some sleep, Andros," Deca told him gently. "Your head will be clearer."

"I don't need sleep," he said irritably, his voice strained. "I'll just go..." He stopped as the doors slid open, freezing cold as he almost ran straight into the Yellow Ranger.

"A--ashley?" he stuttered. "What are you doing here?"

"Waiting for you," she replied calmly, studying him with a small smile. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," he answered automatically. He knew that he'd answered far too quickly for her to believe him, but he doubted she would have believed him anyway. "What did you want?"

"I wanted to see if you were okay." Ashley hesitated. "It's just that you left so quickly... if I said anything to upset you, then I'm sorry."

"What? No," he told her, completely taken aback at her words. He ran the scene in the holding bay through his mind another time and grimaced inwardly. He'd been trying so hard, too...

"You didn't say anything wrong," Andros assured her guiltily. "I didn't mean to make you think anything like that."

Her smile was back, beaming at him, and Andros felt his insides go weak. She gazed deep into his eyes, and he was unable to shake the sense that she was staring straight into his core.

"I thought you'd have a longer workout than this," Ashley said finally, glancing past him into the Simudeck. "Where are you going now?"

"I have work to do." He didn't miss the fact that Ashley fell into step beside him as he started walking towards the Bridge. "I'll finish training later."

"What are you doing?" she prodded, making no sign that she was going to leave him alone. "Can't it wait?"

"No," he muttered, and sighed. "If you really want to know, I need to find a way to get Astronema alone. I need to talk to her."

He didn't know why he told her that. He probably shouldn't have, but all he could think about was the way that she had just held him when he'd confessed to her about his sister's locket, stroking his hair and softly promising him that everything would be okay.

"Be careful," she pleaded as they stepped onto the Bridge. "And Andros... what if Astronema's not her?"

"She is," he said fiercely. "She has to be." Because if she wasn't, Andros wouldn't be able to convince himself that Karone was still alive.

"I'll help you," Ashley offered again. "If you want me to."

Andros snuck a quick glance at her. She didn't look anything other than sincere, and he just stared at her. "Why?" he finally asked.

"Because you shouldn't have to do this alone," she answered immediately, and slid into her seat. Her eyes were on him expectantly, and she smiled. "And because you're my friend."

He couldn't stop the answering smile from spreading across his face as he nodded. "Thank you," he said softly, taking his seat.

Ashley shook her head. "You don't need to."

"Thank you," he repeated. His smile faded as he glanced up to Deca. "Could you bring up the search maps, please?"

Andros sighed and glanced away for a few moments, fiddling anxiously with his hands. "The yellow markers are everywhere she's not," he told her, eyes closed. He could picture it perfectly in his mind. "She almost has to be here."

He half expected Ashley to gently point out that Karone didn't have to be alive at all. She didn't, only asking what the red markers were for. Andros's eyes snapped open and he growled a curse under his breath, swearing that Deca was going to pay for that.

"Andros?" She laid a hand on his shoulder, her face puzzled and slightly worried. "You don't have to tell me..."

He just sighed. If he didn't tell her now, he would have to soon enough. "Do you remember when I said the red morpher was intended to go Eiran?"

"Yeah." Ashley frowned. "You said he died?"

"He and his father." Andros ran a hand through his hair. "I want to tell their family what happened."

"That's sweet of you," Ashley murmured, but he shook his head.

"It's something I have to do." He paused, then offered her the details in hopes that she would understand. "Val and his wife, her name was Lila, had three children. Eiran, the oldest, was meant to be Red Ranger. Their youngest and only daughter, Aileana, was intended to be the Yellow Ranger."

"What about the other one?" Ashley asked curiously.

"Mahon." Andros smiled a little. "He wasn't meant to be a Ranger, but everyone adored him and Aileana. The entire family left KO-35 about a year before Darkonda--before..."

"It's still sweet of you." Ashley smiled and slid her arm around him, and he couldn't help but notice that the feel of her body so close to his was a pleasant one. "I'll help you."

"Thanks," he murmured, and sighed, reality crushing down on him once again. "I don't know where to start looking..."

Ashley's smile turned sympathetic. "You know what? You need a break," she told him. "Go do something fun before you come back to this."

"But I... I have to--"

"Andros, it's been years," she reminded him gently. "I'm sure their family would understand if you let one day go by where you didn't look for them."

"I have to do this," he insisted. "And if I'm not doing this, then I have other work I should be doing."

"You need a break from that, too," Ashley told him firmly. "Come on; what do you do for fun?"

"I..."

"Yeah?" Ashley looked at him expectantly.

Andros suddenly felt very empty. "I--I don't know," he confessed. "I can't remember."

"You don't do anything just because it feels good?" she pressed. "You've never spent half the day in bed because you're too lazy to get up, or just pigged out on junk food and watched a movie because it was more fun than what you were supposed to do?"

He just shook his head no. He didn't know how else to answer.

"We'll have to do something about that, then." Ashley grabbed his hand and pulled him out of his chair. "Go get changed; you're coming with me."

"I--I am?" He looked at her uncertainly. "Where?"

Ashley only shrugged at him, a mysterious smile playing on her lips. "Somewhere fun."

* * *

"Deca, where's Andros?" TJ asked absently, dumping more ketchup onto his bacon.

"Andros is with Ashley in Angel Grove," Deca replied, and Zhane's head snapped towards him suspiciously.

"I was just wondering," TJ shrugged. He took care that his voice wasn't nearly as defensive as he felt. "He said something about training today if it was convenient for us."

"Oh." Zhane sat back slightly, though his eyes were still narrowed. "They'll be back later."

He ignored Zhane's tone. "Not if Ash has anything to say about it," TJ grinned.

"Probably not." Zhane appeared inexplicably pleased. "We can all meet on the Simudeck without them, you know."

"Nah, no point in it." TJ explained, "Andros said something about working on some new team strategies."

"I guess we have to wait on them, then," Zhane agreed, and the silence grew a little heavier.

"Incoming transmission," Deca announced, and they both glanced up in relief.

"From who?" Zhane inquired smoothly, sliding off of his stool.

"The Phantom Ranger," Deca replied, and TJ let out a heavy sigh before he could help himself. This day was just getting better and better.

* * *

"So... this is my house," Ashley announced, unlocking the door and showing him in. "Sit down if you want, or I could show you around..."

"I'd like that." Andros smiled shyly and Ashley nodded instantly.

There was probably nothing that look couldn't win him. _Stop that, _she scolded herself, but her mind wasn't listening. Ashley was struck with the sudden urge to just fling her arms around him. Shaking herself free of it, she focused on giving him a quick tour.

"Come on, then." She gave his hand a tug. "The kitchen and dining room are this way, but we never use the dining room unless we have company over..."

She stopped talking when she realized that Andros wasn't listening to a word she said. He was looking around with interest, though, and she just watched him with a smile. Their dining room was plain, just a table and chairs with a bookcase in three of the four corners and a small table in the other. Ashley had no idea what Andros found so fascinating, but shrugged it off. He'd never been to Earth before, after all.

"You ready to see more?" she asked him finally. Awed as he was, he'd been staring around the room for a good ten minutes.

He nodded, looking a little embarrassed. "It looks more like KO-35 than I thought it would," he remarked, pausing near the kitchen doorway.

Ashley followed his gaze, sighing inwardly when she realized he was looking at the family pictures. His eyes drifted back to her. "Is this you?"

"Yeah," she said. Ashley stepped closer to stare at the pictures herself. "That's my mom and dad and Jonathan, my oldest brother, is on the left. Jeff's in the middle. I was twelve then."

He frowned slightly, studying their faces intently. "You must look alike," Andros murmured, then he glanced at her sheepishly. "They look familiar."

Ashley tried hard to smile. "Yeah. We do look alike."

"Ash?" Andros's attention was suddenly fixed wholly on her. "What's wrong?"

"We took this picture right before my parents divorced," she muttered, looking away. "That's all."

"Oh." Andros glanced from the picture to her another time, his eyes unhappy. "I'm sorry."

"I'm over it now." It was a lie, but she didn't have time to dwell on it. "Come on, let's go. Kitchen's in here," she continued without pause. "Are you hungry?"

"Not really." Andros paused to look around again, and Ashley smiled. He did the same in the living room and downstairs guest room, and it probably took them at least twenty minutes to move up the stairs to the second floor.

"That's my mom's room over there," Ashley said, gesturing to the door at the right of the stairs. "Jeff's room is the first door on the left over here, and my mom's office is the door at the end."

"Can I see your room?" he wanted to know, and Ashley paused.

"I guess so," she said finally. From him, that wasn't anything but an innocent question, and she didn't think her room had been too much of a mess the last time she'd seen it...

It wasn't. Ashley relaxed a little as she stepped into the room ahead of him. She'd been spending more and more time on the Megaship lately, and her room was relatively clean. There was even a carpet beneath her feet. She did kick a small pile of dirty clothes under the bed as she moved to sit down, but Andros didn't notice.

He was looking around again, showing the same fascination that he had with the rest of the house. Ashley glanced quickly around the room, trying to understand what it was that was so intriguing to him. She'd always found her sunflower-patterned wallpaper cheery, and the framed photos on the wall of her best friends had rarely failed to bring a smile to her face--but Andros seemed so completely enthralled that she doubted that was it.

"It looks like you," he said finally, and she laughed, unexpectedly pleased.

"That's nice of you," she said, smiling as she patted the bed next to her. "Come sit down."

He did, not quite sitting next to her but close enough. "I like it," he told her hesitantly, his fingers toying with a stray thread on her comforter. "Your house, I mean--it's... nice."

Ashley was ready to swear that he was blushing. "Thanks," she said, and tucked stray hairs behind her ear absently. "So, what did you think of the park?"

Andros wrapped the loose thread around his finger once before answering. "It was nice."

She hid a smile as he continued winding that thread round his finger. "And the beach?"

"It was nice."

"Did you like that place we stopped for lunch?" she pressed, a smile forming despite herself. "I thought it was pretty good."

"I liked it." Andros nodded slowly. "It was nice."

Ashley poked his shoulder with a giggle. "It was nice," she mimicked. "Do you even remember where we went?"

"Of course I do." He cast her a vaguely insulted glance, and frowned. "We--"

"I was kidding," she told him gently, swallowing a smile when his cheeks flushed from pink to red. "Don't worry about it."

"I knew that," he muttered, and this time she giggled.

"I don't care," Ashley said seriously, reaching out to touch his hand. "Did you at least have fun?"

He nodded, a tiny smile on his lips. "I did."

"Good," she declared brightly. "That was the point. Now you can go work if you really want to."

"I... I'll go if you want me to--" he began, and she shook her head quickly.

"Not what I meant." Andros slowly unwound the thread from around his finger, and she continued. "Do you really want to go back to the Megaship?"

"Not really," he admitted, and sighed. "It just feels like I should be there."

"I know." Ashley could certainly empathize with that feeling, the overwhelming sense that no matter how much she did it would never be enough. "But even you need a break sometime."

"I know." Andros finally looked her in the eye, and she caught her breath at the intensity of his gaze. "I--thanks."

"Anytime."

She studied him carefully, wondering how bad of an idea it would be to hug him now. Ashley gave her head a shake; of course it was a bad idea, but with his hair loose and framing his face like that she couldn't think of why. He really was gorgeous, she thought with a barely suppressed sigh. And he seemed to have no idea.

"Ash?" Andros tilted his head at her in confusion, and it dawned on her that she was staring.

"Sorry," she murmured, feeling herself blush. "I was just thinking..."

"Oh." Andros nodded, and Ashley quickly looked away. She thought she could stare at him all day otherwise. "Ash?"

His fingertips brushed against her cheek tentatively, and Ashley felt goosebumps rise up on her arms. "Yes?"

"I... look at me for a minute?" he requested softly, and she did.

He bit his lip as he watched her, clearly torn. Ashley didn't know what it was that he was hesitating over, and she didn't have the chance to find out; there was a soft rap on her door then. They both jumped, and she swore silently.

"Who's there?" she called. _Please be Jeff..._

"It's me," her mother's voice answered, and Ashley groaned. "Can I come in?"

Ashley glanced at Andros. Whether they'd only been sitting or not, her mom wouldn't be pleased to find him here. "Sure," she called back, shooting him an apologetic look.

"Ashley, I've got some clean..." Her mother's voice died away the moment her eyes landed on Andros, and Ashley tried not to grimace. This was going to be much worse than she'd anticipated, if her mother's slightly open mouth was anything to judge by.

"Mom, this is Andros," she said quickly, when her mother just stared. "He's a friend of mine. We were just saying goodbye."

"That sounds like a good idea," Lisa Hammond said quietly. "I want you downstairs in ten minutes."

Ashley winced as her mother dropped the pile of clean clothes on the ground just inside her doorway and then turned on her heel, leaving the door wide open as she disappeared. Andros shifted on the bed beside her, and she turned to face him awkwardly.

"Sorry about that," she muttered, running a hand through her hair. "But you should probably go now."

"I didn't mean to get you into any trouble," he said worriedly, and she couldn't help but smile a little.

"Don't worry about that." She shrugged. "It's just because you're a guy and we're alone, that's all. You didn't do anything."

"Your mother looked upset," he insisted, frowning as he stood up. "I'm sorry if I--"

"She'd be the same if it was TJ or Carlos or Zhane or any other guy," Ashley assured him, though she wasn't entirely sure. "You're sweet, but don't worry about it. It'll be okay."

"But--"

She shook her head. "It's nothing that you did," she repeated. "I'll see you on the Megaship later, okay?"

He nodded, smiling slightly as he flipped open his communicator. "Thank you," he said again. "I... had fun today."

"I'm glad." She smiled back at him, hugging him before she thought better of it. "I'll come see you later."

"I'll be there." Andros was holding her a little closer than strictly necessary, one of his hands lightly touching her hair.

"Andros," she murmured, almost positive that she felt him sigh.

He pulled back but didn't let her out of his arms. Ashley just stared at him, drowning in his soft eyes. The look on his face was peaceful, almost happy, and she could stare at him forever if he looked like that. She could probably stare at him forever if he didn't.

Andros moved forward slightly, and for once insane moment, Ashley thought he was going to kiss her. His arms dropped from around her, and he jerked away from her, his eyes closed as if he were in pain.

"Andros?" she asked softly, in concern as he shook his head. She reached out, but he flinched away.

"Ash..." He said her name quietly, making almost a plea. "I've never--I don't... I can't."

"Andros--"

"I should go," he mumbled. Andros wouldn't look at her as he turned back to his morpher, and he was gone before Ashley could open her mouth.  



	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the Power Rangers.

**Chapter 12**

Locking himself sullenly in his room became not an option the moment Andros teleported back onto the Megaship. Deca requested him to report to the bridge before the sparkles had cleared from his vision, and as soon as he had he knew intuitively that it was going to be a very long day.

"Phantom." He greeted the ever-morphed Ranger with a small smile and a curt nod, and more than just a bit of surprise. "What brings you here again?"

"I believe I have picked up Zordon's trail once again," Phantom reported. "Divatox has him still, and she is heading towards the Vica Galaxy."

Andros looked away suddenly, a deep unease welling up in his stomach. "D--divatox?"

He silently cursed himself for the stutter, knowing that no one would miss that. He was right.

"Andros?" Cassie said quietly. "You okay?"

"I, um... yeah. I'm fine." He forced a quick smile and shook his head. "It's nothing really. Deca, notify Ashley and get her here immediately. We're going after them."

"As you wish, Andros." He caught the distinct note of disapproval in her voice, but she didn't comment.

"I'm going to check on the Mega-Accelerator," Andros announced to all assembled on the Bridge. "Call me when we're ready to leave."

He escaped without the need for further excuses and climbed up to the small deck that put him level with the engine, slumping back against the wall. Divatox would be only too happy to see him again, though he doubted she would actually return him to Darkonda.

"Hey."

Andros started when the hand touched his shoulder, instinctively grabbing ahold of the wrist attached to it before his mind caught up. "You," he sighed.

"The one and only." Zhane slid down to sit beside him. "You gonna tell me what's wrong or do I have to force it out of you?"

"It's really nothing," Andros insisted, his shoulders slumped. Zhane just quirked an eyebrow at him, and he muttered, "It wasn't Darkonda that I escaped from."

A moment's pause as Zhane hesitated, then: "How'd you end up with Divatox?"

"I was his bargaining tool." Andros waited for a reaction, got none, and then explained. "Divatox was furious when Dark Spectre appointed Astronema to take the Dark Fortress. Darkonda lusts for power. He thought he could... use me to his advantage. She would help him overthrow Dark Spectre, and he would eliminate Ast--"

He stopped abruptly. "Karone..."

Zhane cocked his head in confusion. "Karone?"

Andros winced suddenly. "I didn't tell you, did I."

"Tell me what?" Zhane demanded warily.

"Karone," Andros murmured softly. "She--she's Astronema."

That _did_ prompt a reaction from the Silver Ranger. Zhane grabbed both Andros's shoulders and turned him forcibly until they were face to face. "She's what!"

"She has the locket," Andros mumbled, and his voice was smaller now. If there was anyone that could convince him that he was wrong, that person would be Zhane.

"I've noticed that," Zhane said finally, sounding strained. "That's your sister's locket?"

"Yes."

"Oh." Zhane's voice still sounded odd. "Wow."

"I have to talk to her somehow," Andros said. "I have to know for sure."

Zhane remained curiously quiet. "Why didn't you say anything?" he said at last, and Andros sighed.

"I did," he muttered.

"To who?"

"Ashley."

"Oh," Zhane said again. He hesitated. "Well, what'd she say?"

"She promised she'd help me." Andros didn't feel like saying much more about Ashley. Just the mention of her name had his stomach in knots over the memory of what had almost happened in her bedroom.

Zhane wasn't fooled. "What else is bothering you?"

"I..." Andros swallowed. "I--she--"

"Yes?" Zhane prompted quickly. "What did you do now?"

"I--I... I almost... I almost kissed her," Andros mumbled, too anxious to wonder at Zhane's eagerness to change the subject. "I... I don't know."

"What happened?"

"I left."

Zhane considered that. "Why?"

"I've never... She... I..." Andros turned a helpless gaze towards the Silver Ranger. "I don't know what I'm supposed to do."

"You could start with talking to her," Zhane suggested. "She'd understand."

"I don't know," Andros said finally, "if this is what I want." He really didn't. He had enough trouble with friendships, anything beyond that he was completely unused to.

"You should still talk to her." Zhane held his gaze unrelentingly until Andros dropped his eyes.

"I know," he murmured reluctantly. "But what do I say?"

"Anything you want to." Zhane shrugged. "It won't matter to her."

"You would know," he muttered. "You dated her, didn't you."

"Twice," Zhane admitted. "But it really wasn't anything, and I know she likes you."

Andros didn't answer, just tried to imagine himself taking Zhane's advice and talking to Ashley. He couldn't do it. _What does she see in me, anyway,_ he pondered, unaware that he had projected the thought towards Zhane until he received an answer.

"Well, if I had to guess..." Zhane grinned widely at him. "I'd say everything that makes me want to take a baseball bat to your head she thinks is cute."

Andros looked at him blankly. "Baseball bat?"

"A big stick. TJ plays on this team... that's not the point." Zhane shrugged. "If you won't talk to her, I can't help you."

"Last time you "helped" me, you paid a girl to dance with me," Andros reminded him. "I'm not sure I want your help."

"You were thirteen!" Zhane burst out in semi-annoyance, but Andros was pleased to see him squirm uncomfortably. "And sorry about that, by the way."

"I started speaking to you again, didn't I?" Andros said dryly, and sighed. "I just don't know what to say to her."

"You'll figure it out."

"I..." Andros looked at him hesitantly. "She really likes me."

"And I had nothing to do with it," Zhane assured him. He paused, adding, "Well, I did talk about you a lot. But besides that, I had nothing to do with it."

Andros's head came up. "W--what did you tell her?"

"The Megaship is prepared for departure and all Rangers are onboard," Deca interrupted them, her voice more muted than was usual. "Will you be reporting to the Bridge?"

"In a minute, Deca," Zhane said quietly, catching ahold of Andros when he moved to stand. "We're not done yet."

Andros sat back down when Zhane pushed him, avoiding his gaze.

"First off," Zhane began, "I'd _never_ tell anyone anything about your life if I didn't have your permission. Ever, Andros. Second, no matter what she knows, it's not going to change how she feels about you."

"You know what I look like," Andros muttered. "I think that's bound to matter to her."

"Third," Zhane continued loudly, "scars are sexy, haven't you heard?" He smirked, adding lightly, "At least, Ashley thinks so."

"And how would you know?" Andros snapped, more harshly than he'd meant to.

Zhane slipped off his jacket without a word, and a decidedly uneasy feeling welled up deep in Andros's stomach. His suspicions were confirmed when the silver shirt followed. An angry red line ran the length of Zhane's ribcage, and all the guilt Andros had thought gone came crashing down in a flood of emotion. He'd been so, so... _stupid._

Of all the mistakes that he had made back on KO-35, this one had been the worst. He was responsible for the fall of KO-35 to Dark Spectre, and there was no way that he could ever atone for the massacre that had followed.

"Hey." Zhane's voice was sharp, if slightly muffled, as he tugged his shirt back on. "Don't look at me like that. It's not like you shoved me in front of that monster. Besides, I think it looks kind of cool... Andros?"

"It's not that," Andros said dully. He'd never told Zhane, and he didn't intend to change that now. "It's nothing."

Zhane shook his head. "What's wrong?"

"I don't want to talk about it," Andros growled defensively, as his hands clenched involuntarily. "Please, Zhane."

His friend sighed unhappily. "Andros..."

"Please," he said, more forcefully. "It's not important."

Andros felt two arms wrap around his shoulders as he was drawn into a fierce hug. He tensed in surprise and then closed his eyes in pain, even as his muscles relaxed. Rangers had an unspoken code to take care of their own. Andros didn't like to think of how many times he had forgotten.

"I'm fine," he insisted, as Zhane drew away. "Really, it's nothing."

"You're not and it's not," Zhane stated flatly. "I'll take care of everything on the Bridge. You can stay here."

"I... thanks," Andros murmured. He needed to be alone for awhile.

Zhane smiled briefly, then hopped down to the deck six feet below. Andros waved slightly and curled himself into a corner. He found the sudden silence soothing as his mind began to wander.

* * *

"Will you wait?"

She hesitated in the doorway to the Megalift. "I might."

"I want to speak with you," he said quietly, and that made up her mind.

"I have work to do."

_See how he likes it._ Cassie sighed. The bitterness she felt surprised her, but she was too annoyed with him to care. After all, _he_ hadn't stayed when _she_ had wanted to talk. The Megalift swallowed her up before he could say another word.

"Where do you wish to go, Cassie?"

"Hmm, wha... Oh." She pushed her hair past her shoulders with a sigh. "Deck One, I guess."

The Observatory had become the place to sit and think, not just for her but for most of the team as well. She had spotted TJ on the couch inside more than once, and Carlos had taken a sudden liking to the stars. Cassie was relieved to find no one else there and flung herself down onto the couch, hugging the pillow to her chest glumly.

She should have stayed. She should have let him explain... Cassie sighed in regret. They wouldn't work. His duty as a Ranger came first, and she could almost totally respect that, but she couldn't stand to watch him walk away from her time after time, never knowing when or if she would see him again.

No, they wouldn't work at all. Her sigh was wistful this time, as she tried to conjure up the face beneath that visor. As always before, she came up blank. None of the features that she dreamed up seemed quite fitting, though after meeting Andros and his... unique hairstyle, several more peculiar looks had occured to her. Cassie couldn't help but hope that Phantom didn't resemble their Red Ranger too closely--Ashley might go for the stripey hair, but Cassie preferred something a little more... well, normal.

And there she was daydreaming about him again. Cassie groaned to herself and sat up. "Deca, where is he?"

"Phantom Ranger is in Hangar Two," Deca replied, and Cassie's head snapped up.

"He can't be leaving!" she protested. "He's supposed to stick with us on this mission."

"I believe he is only seeing to the maintenance of his ship," Deca said. "Shall I tell him you wish to speak with him?"

"No, I'll find him myself; thanks." Cassie tossed the pillow to the side and dashed out of the Observatory, winded as she reached her destination less than two minutes later.

She skidded to a halt just outside the doorway. Straightening her jacket slightly, Cassie took a step forward into the room and wondered what she was supposed to say now.

As it turned out, she didn't have to say anything. He turned towards her before she had the chance to speak, and then he froze. Cassie wished dearly that she could see his face.

"Hello," he greeted her quietly. An awkward pause later: "I was hoping to see you."

"Were you?" she couldn't help asking, and he nodded his head slowly.

"I was." Phantom hesitated. "Cassie..."

"What's your name?" she blurted out, not thinking. The question had been on the tip of her tongue ever since he had first spoken her own name, but she had never asked.

"My name?" he repeated.

"Yeah." She could tell that she'd surprised him, but didn't care. "You do have one, don't you?"

"Of course I do," he said calmly. "My name is Arietis."

Cassie just stared at him, beyond amazed that all she'd had to do was ask... "Arietis," she repeated slowly, smiling. She liked it. "It's nice to meet you."

* * *

He was right where Zhane said he would be, burrowed into the walkway above the engine. Ashley sighed to herself and climbed up to him, leaving her legs dangling over the edge of the platform.

"Hi," she murmured.

He watched her for a few moments before he said anything. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to talk to you," she replied. "But I'll leave if you want."

"No," he said quickly. "I didn't mean... I..." He paused, and she watched him exhale slowly. "I didn't get you into trouble, did I?"

She shook her head. "I think my mom was upset over something else."

"Oh." Andros hesitated. "Ashley?"

"Yeah?"

"I... I, um..." He took another deep breath. "I want to talk to you, too."

"You want to start?" she prompted after a moment of silence. "Or should I?"

"I... I probably should," he said hesitantly. "But I don't know what I'm supposed to say."

"That's all right," she told him, but he shook his head.

"It's not," he insisted. "I feel like I should either be apologizing to you or explaining... but I don't know for what."

"You don't owe me an apology," Ashley said firmly. "And I don't want one. But an explanation would be nice--if you felt like it."

He nodded slowly. "I'm not--I've never had a... relationship, I guess is how you'd say it, with anyone. Besides friendship, I mean, and even then... And honestly? I don't know if I want or need one."

"Oh." Ashley tried to quell the rush of disappointment she felt at his words. She'd asked for it, after all, and he wasn't having the easiest time saying the words, either.

"I--I didn't mean to upset you," he said, worried, and she shook her head.

"Don't be silly," she said. "I'm not upset, and you shouldn't rush into anything that you're not ready for."

"You _are _upset." Andros stared at her unhappily for a moment. "But... I--if I... I really like you," he whispered. He looked away and added softly, "I wanted to... I almost kissed you. While we were at your house."

"Oh," she said again. A smile tried to worm its way out, a smile that she just barely managed to keep off her face. She shouldn't feel so pleased.

"Why didn't you?" she wanted to know.

"Because..." He shrugged, his eyes focused firmly on the railing. "I--I'm not... used to feeling this way. I don't know what I'm supposed to do, or what you're expecting, or... anything."

His voice came reluctantly as he finished, and Ashley touched his hand before she could help herself. "I don't expect you to be anything besides you," she said quietly. "And--"

She wondered for a moment if her words would only complicate things further, but then just went ahead. "If it's really something that you're not ready for, I don't want to push you... but I really like you too," she finished awkwardly.

He turned to look at her again, his intense hazel eyes boring into her own. His attention was focused wholly on her and for one long minute, he was staring straight through her. Ashley felt a blush spread across her cheeks when he didn't look away, trapped in his gaze.

"I... I'd like to find out," he said finally. "If it's all right with you."

His words flowed right over her head, but brought her out of her daze. "Sorry, what?" Ashley finally tore her eyes off off his.

"Would you..." Andros looked at her helplessly, blushing. "What do you normally do on a date?"

"Um..." It took her the longest time to think of something. "Go out to dinner."

Had she ever done that? Ashley couldn't remember, but she didn't really want to go to a movie with him, and she couldn't think of anything else...

"Would you like to go out to dinner with me, then?" His face was a near-perfect match with his shirt now, and she fought hard not to smile. He was _cute_ when he was blushing.

"Of course I would," she answered. She let the smile spread across her face this time. "When?"

"When we get back to Earth?" he suggested, and she knew he was floundering now.

"Sounds good to me," she said cheerfully. "Andros?"

He looked at her curiously, and she smiled. "Last I checked, our ETA was still around two hours. TJ and Carlos were going to start a basketball game or something. You want to join them?"

Andros considered that for a few moments. "I'd rather not," he said hesitantly. "But you go on if you want to."

Ashley shook her head. "I'd rather stay here with you," she said. "If that's all right."

"Stay if you want to," he said. "I was just... thinking about some things."

Ashley frowned when pain flashed through his eyes. "Hey," she said quietly, "if you ever want to talk, I'll listen."

"I'll remember that," he said, and she thought he tried not to sigh. "Thank you."

"Don't worry about it." Ashley laid a hand on his arm, thinking quickly to banish the gloomy look that was settling rapidly over his face again. He tensed slightly at her touch, but he didn't draw away, and she gave his elbow a squeeze.

"Hey, Andros?" she asked. "You think that you could teach me telekinesis?"

His eyebrows rose slightly in surprise at her request, but his expression was thoughtful as he studied her. "You know about it?"

"Zhane showed us," she explained, with a shrug. "He even tried to teach us a little, but we never caught on."

"Then what makes you think that I can?" he wanted to know.

"Couldn't you at least try?" she asked, giving him her best smile. "Please?"

"I... if you wanted to, maybe," he relented, still uncertain. "I've never tried to teach anyone before," he added dubiously.

"I don't care," she said immediately, and she didn't really. Learning telekinesis wasn't the point. "So you'll try, then?"

"If you want to," he repeated, finally emerging out of the corner he had hidden himself in. "I have some things lightweight enough to start with..."

Ashley nodded and hopped down as Andros followed more slowly, climbing down the ladder. There was a tiny smile lighting his face as she reached for his hand, and Ashley couldn't help smiling herself. He really was too cute when he relaxed just a little bit. She liked him like this.


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer:** The Power Rangers are not mine.

**Chapter 13**

Andros took a deep breath and forced his attention back to the ball twisting and turning lazily in midair. His eyes refused to stay in one place, promptly wandering back up to Ashley's face. She either didn't notice him staring or just didn't care, continuing to glare stubbornly at the telekinesis ball until it turned a little faster.

He smiled slightly at her determination, vaguely remembering a time when he had felt the same frustration. Honestly, he was surprised that she showed potential but it pleased him to a degree that he didn't understand. He was enjoying this far more than he had expected to.

Ashley scrunched up her nose in concentration. Andros felt his smile grow a little wider at her expression. He opened his mouth to tell her how pretty she looked like that and caught himself just in time, mentally kicking himself. Maybe that wasn't such a good idea...

But she'd agreed to let him take her out, after all, so maybe she wouldn't mind. Andros frowned, his face growing hot. He'd half expected her to laugh at his invitation; he'd hardly had a clue what he was doing and he knew that it had shown. But she had accepted and now he had even less of an idea what he was supposed to do.

Ashley's shoulders slumped a little and Andros pulled his thoughts back to the telekinesis lesson he was supposed to be giving her. "You're trying too hard," he murmured, not wanting to break her concentration. "Take a deep breath."

Ashley opened her eyes all the way, exhaling slowly as her shoulders relaxed. She smiled at him and Andros swallowed hard, extremely irritated that his face still burning. He rubbed his palms dry on his pants but he just kept sweating, uncomfortably warm all over.

Andros pulled the ball out of the air and looked away quickly, annoyed to find his hands trembling as he collapsed the ball. _What's wrong with you?_

"That's enough for now," he said quietly, his eyes still trained firmly on the ball. "I know it's only been a few minutes," he continued before she could protest, "but you don't want to strain yourself too hard. Mental exhaustion isn't something to take lightly."

Ashley accepted that, and he was relieved. He had to get out of here. As anxious as he was to flee back to his room, it was Ashley who climbed to her feet first. She offered him a hand up and he reached for her before he remembered how his palms were slick with sweat. He couldn't think of a way to pull his hand back without making himself look like a complete fool, so he caught her hand and let her pull him to his feet.

"Thanks for teaching me," she told him.

Andros could only nod. She was smiling again and his stomach was doing backflips like crazy.

"You can keep this," he said abruptly, offering her the telekinesis ball. Her fingers brushed his lightly when she took it from him and he swallowed hard, fighting hard not to shiver at the soft brush of her skin against his.

"Thanks," Ashley said again, still smiling.

Andros looked away again, his eyes following the ball in an arc as Ashley tossed it onto her bed. It landed next to her pillow, nestling against an unidentifiable object. He looked at her curiously, pointing at what looked like a misshapen lump.

"What's that?"

"Haven't you ever seen a teddy bear before?" Ashley laughed softly and reached past him to pull whatever it was out from beneath her pillow and cradle it lovingly in her arms. "This is Bear."

"What?" Andros just stared at her.

"You've never seen a stuffed animal before?"

"You're saying that _that's_ an animal?" He shot her an incredulous look before his gaze dropped down to the thing she clutched in her arms.

"Of course not," she said. "He's... a toy, I guess. I've had him since I was a baby."

That would explain it's appearance, he thought. The red bear was fuzzy and worn, the yellow and green striped ribbon around its neck frayed, but it was clean and it was clear that Ashley cared for it a great deal.

"Oh," he said finally. "That's... nice."

"You really never had a stuffed animal?"

"No," he said stiffly. "I never needed one."'

"Really?" Ashley looked at him suspiciously. "Or are you just saying that?"

"Really," he confirmed, still staring at the bear and not at her. "Why do you still have him?"

"Because," Ashley shrugged, "he makes me feel safe, even if I'm not."

"Why?"

"I brought him here to make this feel more like home," Ashley explained slowly, as if she were figuring out for herself at the same time. "This was something totally new to me, and just having him here makes it seem a little more familiar."

Andros nodded slowly, feeling a sudden surge of envy as Ashley held the bear close to her chest. That was all that it took to make her feel safe. He frowned as a faint picture formed before his eyes, him on KO-35 as a small child.

A house... a gray house. His house? Andros squeezed his eyes shut, desperately trying to shake the memory free. He couldn't see the outline of the building clearly, but a child's laughter rang in his ears from behind him. Karone? Some playmate of his?

He held something bunched in his hands... not a stuffed animal, but a... blanket? Was that it? Then it was gone, and he opened his eyes unhappily.

"Andros?" Ashley's hand rested on his arm as she watched him worriedly. "Hey, are you all right?"

"I'm fine..." He frowned at her, staring hard at the bear still tucked under her arm. "I think I was remembering... I had a blanket, or something like one."

Ashley followed his gaze to the bear, and then her confusion lifted. "Instead of a stuffed animal?"

He nodded slowly, then remembered where he was and blood rushed to his cheeks. "Sorry," he murmured sheepishly. "I didn't mean to--I just don't remember much."

Sympathy touched her face. "From when you were a kid, you mean?"

Andros nodded. "From before I was twelve, really. There are a lot of blank spots."

Ashley stepped forward and wrapped him in a hug, her arms holding him tight. He relaxed against her, his eyes closed in one last attempt to remember what it had felt like to be that innocent little boy. He couldn't do it and let out a defeated sigh as the memory slipped away completely.

It was probably for the best, he told himself. He'd be fighting soon, and he didn't need to be distracted by elusive flashbacks of a life that hadn't been his for eleven years.

"Hey," Ashley whispered. Her hands rubbed small circles across his shoulders, soothing him. "Will you be all right?"

"I'm fine," he said, forcing himself to let her go. "Deca, how much longer?"

"ETA is half an hour," Deca replied, and he nodded.

"We should get to the Bridge," he told Ashley. "Who knows what's waiting for us."

"That's a cheery thought," Ashley muttered, but she nodded. "You're right. Let's go."

* * *

The Bridge was empty when they arrived, and Ashley slid into her seat with a sideways glance at Andros. His eyes had that unfocused, faraway look again, and she knew instantly that he was struggling hard to remember whatever it was that he had almost seen in her room.

She opened her mouth to ask him if he was okay when she heard the Megalift open behind her. Ashley glanced over her shoulder and froze.

"Um... Cassie?"

"Yeah? Oh." Cassie grinned sheepishly when she noticed Ashley staring at the man beside her. "Meet Phantom Ranger."

"Oh... um, hi," Ashley said, a little unsettled by his sudden appearance without his armor, but smiling nonetheless.

He was good-looking enough for her best friend, Ashley decided. Now if only he'd stop acting like a jerk...

"Hello," he responded, smiling faintly at her. "Call me Arietis, if you wish."

"Arietis," Ashley repeated. "Cool name."

"Isn't it?" Cassie caught her eye with a bright smile. "And where've you been for the last two hours?"

Ashley's eyes strayed to Andros. Absorbed into studying the scanner readouts, he was unaware of her watching him. She smiled at his back, blushing at the knowing look on Cassie's face.

"I've been busy," was all she said.

"Uh-huh." Cassie nodded, still grinning. "You've just been--"

Cassie's smile vanished as the alarm shrieked, and Andros snapped back into reality. Ashley spun her seat back around to face the weapons control panel while Cassie ran around to Andros's other side and threw the shields to full.

"Deca, everyone on Bridge now," Andros ordered. "Ashley, charge the Megalasers. Whatever that was won't miss us next time. Cassie, find out where that thing is."

"Velocifighters," the Pink Ranger responded almost instantly. "Two of them. My guess is that they came too close and saw through our cloaking."

Andros nodded. "You're probably right."

"What's going on?" TJ and Carlos sprinted onto the Bridge, Zhane just behind them.

"Velocifighters," Arietis volunteered, as another attack distracted Andros. "They seem to have breached your cloaking mechanism."

"I can't get a clear shot," Ashley announced, frustrated. "They're weaving around each other."

"I know." Andros looked at her. "Just keep trying. Take a shot if you can."

She nodded distractedly, eyes on her console as she struggled to catch one of the Velocifighters within the range of the Megalasers. The Velocifighters pulled up out of reach, and Ashley balled her fists in annoyance. They no longer registered on the scanners, and a quick glance up at the viewing screen confirmed that they were out of sight.

"They're gone," she reported, frowning to herself.

Andros touched her shoulder briefly. "It's all right," he said quietly, already focused again on his own work. "But keep an eye out for them."

Ashley nodded, and let out a sigh to clear her head. She shot a sideways look at Andros. He was looking back at her, and she bit her lip with a smile as he quickly glanced away. She watched him flush red and grinned. It was all she could do not to giggle.

There was something so... innocent to Andros. Ashley couldn't quite grasp what it was, and she knew that it had to be an illusion. He was the Red Ranger, after all, and it made her heart ache to compare her childhood to what his must have been. He'd had to be strong.

But somehow, his strength only intensified the urge she felt to wrap her arms around him and make his pain go away. He'd walled off so much emotion to survive. Now those walls were crumbling, and Ashley couldn't help thinking that Andros was _too_ strong--he'd suppressed so much feeling that now he wasn't quite sure what to do with it all.

_"I'm not used to feeling this way,"_ he'd told her only a few hours ago. Ashley chewed her lip thoughtfully, wondering if maybe she shouldn't have agreed to go out with him. A girlfriend was probably the last thing he needed. But he'd been the one to ask her and she liked him so much... Ashley sighed silently to herself. She wasn't going to do anything to change that now.

Ashley snuck another quick glance at Andros, unsurprised to find him lost in concentration. He really did work too much. She wouldn't push him for anything, she decided, remembering suddenly that she was supposed to be scanning for Velocifighters. Andros wasn't anything like any of the boyfriends that she'd ever had before, and Ashley firmly resolved to let him make the first move. She could wait. Even if she would have kissed him a week ago if he had been anyone else.

Her mind made up, Ashley turned her full attention back to scanning, and not a moment too soon. Five blips appeared on the screen, and her head snapped up.

"Um... guys?" she said nervously, as another three ships were picked up. "This isn't looking too good."

Andros glanced over her shoulder and cursed. "They're waiting for us."

"Those two Velocifighters?" Carlos asked, and Andros nodded.

"Shields at full," he ordered. "Charge the Megalasers, and be prepared to divert all power to the thrusters if this doesn't work."

"We're going to be making a quick getaway," Zhane agreed, adding darkly, "if we get that far."

The Megaship shuddered without warning, and the Rangers glanced up in alarm. "Where'd that come from?" Ashley demanded. "Those eight ships haven't fired on us."

"I'd say there are some cloaked ships surrounding us," Andros said grimly.

"They're here to keep us busy," TJ said from behind them.

"Divatox will be already preparing to leave with Zordon." Arietis sounded annoyed rather than worried. "How long can we afford to chase her across the galaxy?"

"Worry about that later," TJ said shortly. "How are the shields holding?"

"Ninety-eight percent," Cassie reported. "Minor hit, but there will be more."

"There's something behind us," Ashley shouted suddenly, as the screen before her lit up far too brightly. "It's firing!"

"Everybody hold on," Andros called over the thud of impact. "TJ, Carlos, all power to the thrusters now."

"It's not working," Carlos said anxiously, half a moment later. "I don't know where we're hit, but we're going to blow up in about a minute if we don't do something now."

Andros growled something under his breath, slamming a fist into his console as the lights flickered. "We have to land," he said suddenly. "We can try to lose them in the atmosphere."

"How likely is that to work?" TJ wanted to know.

Andros hesitated. "It's our best shot," he said finally, and Ashley winced. That did _not_ sound good.

She braced herself against the console as the Megaship bucked against another wave of attack. Her hands gripped the edge of her control panel tight, but the next jerk tossed her out of her seat. She was blissfully weightless for an instant before she landed hard, losing consciousness as the lights went out.

* * *

**Author's Note: **So sorry for the wait! The plotbunnies from hell have the worst timing... On the bright side, I do have the beginning of an idea for a potentially fluffy story. Anyway, I hope you like the chapter, even with the cliffy. The chapter was supposed to have one more scene but I wanted to get it up before I got buried under last minute stuff for school. Next chapter should be up in a week or two. Hope you liked it; please review! 


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the Power Rangers.

**Chapter 14**

A loud roaring in his ears signaled his return to consciousness, dimming gradually as he opened his eyes. It was quickly replaced by a pounding throb somewhere inside his skull. Andros groaned, one hand rubbing his forehead gingerly, and glanced around. Slowly, as his mind was reluctant to grasp what had happened, his eyes wandered across the Bridge and he took in the sight of his teammates carefully picking themselves up as well.

Zhane was the first to speak. "You said we needed to land," he reminded them. "We did."

"This wasn't quite what I had in mind," Andros murmured, twitching his limbs and finding them all relatively uninjured. "Deca?"

"Yes, Andros?" her calm voice responded instantly, and he let out a breath of relief.

"What's our status? Can we take off?" he queried, his thoughts racing along now despite the ache in his head.

"I'm afraid that is currently impossible."

"I was afraid of that," he muttered, and sighed. "Everyone all right?" he added belatedly, with a guilty flush. His first concern should have been for his teammates. His friends.

"We're fine." Ashley's smile lacked in its usual brilliance, but he found it rather reassuring nonetheless. "I think," she amended, pressing both hands suddenly to her temples with a grimace. "What now?"

Carlos beat Andros by half a second when he objected, "You're not fine."

"It's just a bump," Ashley insisted. "No concussion."

Andros waved to catch her attention, then held up three fingers. "How many?"

Ashley rolled her eyes at him good-naturedly. "Three. Really, I'm fine."

He looked at her suspiciously, but relented. Mostly because he had no choice. Andros picked himself up and then pulled her to her feet, steadying her as she swayed. Her balance evened out only a few seconds later, and so he let his attention drift from her to the rest of the team.

Cassie was on her feet and TJ was halfway there. Arietis was already morphed, and Andros wondered distantly how many times the Phantom Ranger had been caught in similar situations on his own. Andros knew that he'd had more than his own share of close encounters, and while most of them had turned out far better than his run-in with Darkonda, they were still experiences that he would care to never repeat.

He pulled himself out of his thoughts when he realized that the others were all watching him expectantly. "We'll split up," he decided. "Zhane, Cassie, TJ, and Arietis take the south and west. Carlos, you and Ashley come with me. We'll search the north and east."

"Ah," Carlos began, "are you sure that's such a good idea?"

"It's fine," TJ said tersely.

Andros wondered at the way Carlos rolled his eyes, but he judged it best not to comment. "Let's move out," he ordered. "Nightfall is in three hours, and we've got plenty of land to cover."

* * *

"I don't like this," Carlos muttered, tapping impatiently at his handheld scanner. "I swear we're being followed." 

"We are," Andros said, much more calmly than he felt. "There's a clearing straight up ahead. As soon as we're on the other side, we call our gliders."

"Can we get that far without being seen?" Ashley wanted to know. "You and I won't blend in so well."

He hesitated. "I really hope so."

They approached the clearing cautiously, tensed at each small noise. Andros frowned at his scanner uneasily, certain that something wasn't right. There hadn't been a thing there a moment before, but now the screen was lit with flickering dots.

"Hey," he spoke up quietly. "Be careful. I think it might be a--"

"Andros, _down!_" Ashley shouted his name and tackled him. He hit the ground hard and dazedly watched yellow lightning streak by overhead. Blinking, he rolled onto his side and saw Carlos return fire while using the trees for cover.

"Red Ranger," Darkonda's voice growled as Andros picked himself up off of the ground. "I should have known you'd be here."

Andros froze in his place, fear twisting around madly in the pit of his stomach. "I--I..." He gulped, furious to hear himself stutter. "What are you doing here?" he demanded, stalling.

Darkonda chuckled to himself, and Andros took an involuntary step backwards. His brain kicked back into action when Darkonda reached for his sword and was prepared to call for his Spiral Saber, when he heard another voice that made them both pause.

"Find them," Ecliptor's shout drifted from clear across the clearing. "Their ship is here. The Rangers are here."

Andros swore silently, his eyes flickering towards Ecliptor and the Quantrons. Darkonda moved quickly and Andros threw himself sideways, not until he landed realizing that Darkonda was slinking back into the cover of the trees.

He drew his blaster and prepared to do the same in the opposite direction when he realized that Ashley hadn't moved. She lay crumpled on the ground, and as he knelt at her side, her morph faded. His heart thumping somewhere in his throat, Andros touched her cheek gently.

Her skin was warm. He didn't care that her skin would be warm whether she was dead or alive, and it took him a good minute to remember to check and see that she was still breathing. All that seemed to matter that her cheek was a welcome warmth against his fingers.

"Ashley," he whispered, one eye on Carlos covering for them. "Ashley, come on. I'll get you out of here if you'll just open your eyes for me."

She didn't stir, and Andros let out a shaky breath. Gently, he gently scooped her into his arms. Her eyelids flickered as he lifted her upper body, and he froze, watching her intently.

"Ashley?" he asked hopefully.

She groaned, her face white with pain as her eyes opened. His stomach twisted when he saw one of her arms bent at an odd angle, and he quickly slid a hand beneath her chin before she thought to glance down herself. Andros doubted that she wouldn't be able to handle herself, but he had seen far too many people panic at the sight of broken bones to chance it.

"You're going to be fine," he told her firmly. "Can you stand?"

"I... can try," she mumbled dizzily, and he nodded.

"That'll have to do," he said grimly, tightening the arm he had about her shoulders. "We're under attack."

"I--I'll be fine," she tried to tell him, her legs flexing as she moved to stand. She sucked in air, gasping quietly when her arm shifted.

"You're not walking." He glanced around in alarm when he heard footsteps, seeing a flash of movement that hadn't come from Carlos. "Come on, we're getting out of here."

Ashley nodded, and he winced as she moaned, as much because of the noise as because he was hurting her. Then he saw the Quantrons across the clearing, and he knew that they had seen him. Keeping quiet wasn't an issue any longer.

"Get back to the ship!" Andros cursed as another laser beam flashed by overhead, cradling Ashley to his chest protectively.

She whimpered quietly as he tried to lift her completely into his arms, pale-faced in pain. Andros ground his teeth together and tried hard not to look at the blood soaking through the left sleeve of her jacket.

"You'll be fine," he tried to tell her, but his voice trembled in rage. How could he have just let this _happen_ to her? He shouldn't have been so distracted! He shouldn't have--

"Carlos," he called quietly, his eyes scanning around the clearing for the Black Ranger. "I need you."

"Right over here." Carlos popped out from behind some brush, his Lunar Lance dissolving as he knelt beside them. Like Andros, he was still morphed, but his concern for the Yellow Ranger shone clear through his voice as he "We've got you, Ash."

"I--" She tried weakly to speak, but Carlos touched her lips lightly.

"Don't talk," he said sternly. "Don't do _anything,_ all right? We'll get you back to the Megaship."

Ashley nodded slowly, and Andros let out his breath in relief as he managed to shift her into Carlos's arms without further injuring her. "Take care of her."

"What?" Carlos turned his head towards him. "Andros, where are you going?"

"To find Darkonda," he growled, and dashed off in the direction he'd seen the bounty hunter vanish. "I'll be back soon."

He didn't stop to think as he tore through the brush, slicing away at anything that got in his way. Without even the presence of mind to call for his glider, Andros ran furiously, his eyes darting around in a frantic search for Darkonda.

He didn't know how long he ran for before his brain caught up with him. With him out here, the other Rangers couldn't take off. He doubted that the Megaship was in any condition to take off, but he'd virtually stranded them on a hostile planet by running off--Deca wouldn't lift off without the entire crew onboard.

Andros leaned against a tree to catch his breath, kicking himself mentally. He shouldn't have been so stupid. But Ashley had been hurt, and all he'd been able to think about was making Darkonda pay for it.

He kicked the tree, and then turned around with a heavy sigh. He should get back to the ship, check on Ashley, and help with repairs. They needed to get off of this planet before someone stumbled across the the Megaship.

Unhappily, he stepped away and raised one arm to call for his glider. A shuffling sound behind him caused him to whirl around, and his heart sank as he saw the Piranhatrons. He knew he didn't have a chance of winning against them all, but what really worried him was the voice he heard yelling at them to get out of her way.

He glanced around in a panic, but there was no way to blend in bright red against the green and brown of his surroundings. Silently cursing his stupidity, he was still standing there when Divatox forced her way to the front of the ranks.

"What are you doing?" she demanded, kicking one out of her way. "You're supposed to--You," she gaped at him. Her shock vanished quickly. "Well, well, what do we have here?"

Andros gulped and raised his saber. "Get out of my way."

"Why in the world would I want to do that?" She looked him up and down, her lips curled into a sneer. "I wonder what Darkonda will give me for you."

"I doubt it will be what you're hoping for," he said calmly. "I told him he shouldn't have trusted you."

"Did you really?" She smirked at him. "I don't remember you being this defiant the last time I saw you."

Andros ground his teeth together as the memory assaulted him. "Get out of my way," he repeated. "Now."

Divatox rolled her eyes at him. "Well, what are you waiting for?" she yelled at the Piranhatrons. "Get him already!"

Andros dodged them and shouted for his glider while throwing one forward over his shoulder. Divatox called something after him as he jumped up and sped off, but he didn't look back to hear it. He needed to get out of here.

He relaxed slightly as he wove his way in and out of the trees, trying to lose the Piranhatrons in the cover of the forest. He'd been stupid enough already. He wasn't about to lead them straight back to the Megaship.

Andros let out a deep breath and slowed to a half to reorient himself. He didn't see any sign of Divatox and the Piranhatrons, and took a few moment to figure out just where the hell he was. The other Rangers weren't going to be too happy with him when he returned.

He squinted in the direction of the sun, and frowned. This planet's sun rose in the south, and the Megaship had crash-landed in the northern hemisphere, so that meant he should be heading to his left... No. To his right. Or straight ahead? Andros growled in frustration. _Concentrate. _

"Red Ranger!"

Andros froze at the voice behind him, ice water suddenly coursing through him. This had been a really bad idea. He closed his eyes and turned stiffly to face Darkonda. He'd forgotten about this paralyzing fear. He'd forgotten about everything but his fury at being unable to keep his friend safe.

"You hurt Ashley," Andros hissed, and summoned his saber again. "You're going to pay for that."

Darkonda sneered at him. "I have no mercy for you this time."

"I don't want any," Andros spat. His heart thudded furiously in his throat, and he wasn't entirely sure that was true, but he was in no mood to get down on his knees and beg. "I don't need any."

Darkonda drew his sword. Andros took a step to the right, circling around him slowly. The twigs crunched quietly beneath his feet, and he was so shaky he nearly tripped over a pebble. His hands clenched over his saber and he knew that if he wasn't morphed, his hands would be too sweaty to grip the handle.

Darkonda charged at him, and Andros wasn't quite ready. He couldn't block quickly enough, and Darkonda's blade sliced cleanly through his suit. Andros hissed as white-hot pain tore through his forearm, crying out as the pain hit him full force an instant later.

He bit down hard on his lip, pain becoming pure agony as the Power began to fade. Andros blinked tears out of his eyes and clutched his saber in his still-good right hand. Struggling to stay morphed, he turned dizzily to face Darkonda.

"You..." The world spun, and he stumbled. Andros dropped his Spiral Saber and grabbed at a tree to keep himself upright. He clenched his hands and clamped his mouth shut in an effort to stave off the nausea that hit him without warning.

"You took Karone away," he panted, resisting the urge to look down at his arm. "I won't let you win this."

"It was Ecliptor that took your sister," Darkonda reminded him, poised to attack again. "Pity I didn't kill you when I had the chance."

"You should have," Andros retorted, as he took a staggering step forward.

Somehow he managed to dodge the next blow, and block the one after that. The world was spinning all around him, and he suddenly wondered whether Darkonda's blade wasn't poisoned. This was more than just blood loss.

Andros felt his saber vanish from his hands and groaned. His morph faded and with it most of the Power's healing. He cried out as his arm throbbed, seeing stars. The ground whirled beneath his feet as he stumbled towards Darkonda.

Andros hit the ground hard, his body falling limply with a soft thump. He groaned weakly and tried to push himself back up, but his injured arm buckled beneath him. Stars clouded his line of vision as he collapsed, slowly darkening.

As he lost consciousness, Andros thought he saw Astronema hovering near him and he tried to call out to her. He had to try one last time to convince her who she was, but his voice refused to obey him, and she merely stared at him, unfeeling. Defeated, he slipped into darkness, his last thoughts of the little sister whom he had lost so long ago.

* * *

"Are you sure you're all right?" 

"I'm fine," Ashley lied with a smile. "Whatever Deca did, I can't even feel my arm."

"That's not what I meant and you know it," Carlos said gently. He reached out to brush stray hairs back from her face, and kissed her forehead tenderly. "Talk to me, Ash."

"I'm worried about him," she mumbled, hugging her good arm to her chest. "He hasn't fought Darkonda since before all of this. I don't know... He's so strong, but I don't think he has enough faith in himself."

"Andros is going to be fine," Carlos assured her firmly. "He survived Darkonda for all those months, didn't he? And you saw him on Onyx--he took a hell of a beating and was fine the next day."

"Yeah." Ashley stared down at her hands. "You're right. I know you're right."

"Hey." Carlos slid an arm around her shoulders, careful of her broken arm as he pulled her close for a hug. "I'll go out and find him for you if you want."

"No." Ashley shook her head, on the verge of tears and having no idea why. "The fewer of us out there, the better our chances are. The Megaship isn't ready to take off yet."

"Ash?" Carlos looked at her in concern when she burst into tears. "What's wrong?"

"I--I don't know," she sobbed, angrily scrubbing at her eyes. "I'll be okay," she insisted more calmly. "Don't worry about me."

"It's too late for that," Carlos retorted. He hugged her close with a sigh. "I know you're worried about Andros, Ash, but he's going to be okay. Maybe not so okay when I kill him, but he'll get back here just fine."

Ashley let out a watery giggle, already calming again. "You can't kill my boyfriend."

"Watch me," he muttered, and then paused. "Whoa--boyfriend?"

"Semi-boyfriend?" She shrugged with one shoulder, and sighed. "He asked me out on a date when we got back to Earth."

"But?" Carlos prompted, and she rubbed away the last of her tears.

"He's never been in a relationship before," she explained hesitantly. The last thing she wanted to do was to betray Andros's trust and tell Carlos too much. "And he's not entirely sure that he's ready for one."

She saw the look on his face, and hurried to add, "He's not leading me on, Carlos. Really, he's not. He told me he wasn't sure if he could do this, and I agreed anyway."

"Ash..."

"Don't give me that look." She shot him a mock glare and shook her head. "We're at least going on a few dates. I know what I'm doing."

He nodded, maybe a little reluctantly. "Just be careful, Ash," he warned her. "I don't want to see you get hurt."

"I know." She smiled at him gratefully. "But I think I'm more likely to hurt him than the other way around. I've been there before, and anyway, there's something really... sweet about him. He wouldn't hurt me deliberately."

"That doesn't mean he won't hurt you," he pointed out.

"I know," she agreed, a little sadly. "You didn't mean to hurt me, and I know I didn't mean to hurt you."

"Yeah..." Carlos shifted uncomfortably. "Ash, I..."

"Yeah." Ashley curled herself closer to him, her cheek pillowed on his shoulder. "They say you never forget your first love."

He chuckled a little at that, and kissed the top of her head. "I think you're unforgettable, Ashley Hammond."

"You're pretty memorable yourself." She tilted her head back and smiled. "Carlos?"

He looked at her, and she strained up to kiss his cheek. "I'm really glad you're my friend."

He smiled ruefully and hugged her a little closer. Ashley closed her eyes and relaxed against him. She didn't know how long the two of them just sat there, but she was on the verge of dozing when Carlos's communicator chimed.

"Hey guys." TJ's voice came through grimly. "We have a problem."

* * *

She should have just left him. Astronema tried to shift the Red Ranger's body so that his weight bore down on her a little more comfortably, but her shoulders didn't notice much of a difference. 

Yes, she should have just left him there. It was no concern of hers whether he lived or died. Well, that wasn't entirely true. She _would_ be better off if he died. Without their Red Ranger, the Astro Rangers would crumble; their fall would pave the way for Dark Spectre's ultimate victory.

Yet the moment she had watched him fall in battle to Darkonda, something inside her had stirred in protest. Astronema couldn't remember why she hated the bounty hunter. All she knew was that Ecliptor despised him and that was reason enough to continue hating him herself.

The Red Ranger was her sworn enemy, and always had been. She had her reasons for hating him. He'd killed her family, Ecliptor had told her, destroyed them to get to her. It wasn't that Astronema had lost her faith in Ecliptor but... the Red Ranger was no older than she was. How could a child have committed such crimes?

The dense vegetation of this humid planet cleared without warning, and Astronema stumbled into the mess of flattened trees and debris that the Astro Megaship had left in her wake during the Rangers' crash landing. It wasn't hard to spot the bright blue of the ship some yards away, and she glanced around for the best spot to leave him.

As she picked her way across the clearing, Astronema's thoughts drifted to the Silver Ranger. The Red Ranger--_Andros,_ she corrected herself--was Zhane's best friend. She'd only needed to hear a few of his stories to know that Andros was someone that Zhane loved deeply. The person that he'd told her about was no cold-blooded killer. But affection was blinding, she had reasoned then. There must have been much more to the Red Ranger that Zhane simply didn't wish to see.

Now she wasn't so sure. It had been accidental that she had stumbled across the fight between Andros and Darkonda. The Red Ranger had lost a sister, someone that Darkonda insisted Ecliptor had taken. She knew better than to trust Darkonda, but as he'd collapsed, Andros's eyes had landed on her. She'd heard him call out to her, and it was the telepathy more than anything else that had made her zap Darkonda herself and heal Andros's wounded arm.

Her brother, and now Zhane were the only ones that she could hear in her head. Astronema wanted to know just why it was that she could hear the Red Ranger as well.

Carefully, she lowered him to the ground on a soft patch of grass. She wasn't sure if he was still unconscious or if her sleeping spell had worked, but either way she needed to leave before the other Rangers stumbled across her. Her questions would have to wait for another day.

With one last look at him, Astronema straightened and turned to go. Her eyes widened slightly as she found herself facing four Astro Rangers and their Phantom Ranger ally, their weapons all trained on her. Pushing away her shock and annoyance, she gave them all a haughty stare.

"I could have let Darkonda have him," she informed them calmly. "Lower your weapons."

"Relax, guys," Zhane said quickly, and Astronema hid a smirk. "Just for a second, all right?"

"All she _needs_ is a second," the Blue Ranger muttered, but he dropped his blaster slightly. "What do you want, Astronema?"

Rolling her eyes at them, she gestured towards their fallen teammate. "Would you rather I had left him in the middle of the jungle?"

"He's alive," Zhane confirmed for them a moment later, kneeling at Andros's side. "He's just unconscious."

She didn't bother to correct him. Astronema hesitated as she eyed the other Rangers, knowing that she should leave them. She should just shimmer away back to the Dark Fortress and be done with them. What had happened to her brother could wait.

"Don't move," the Pink Ranger snapped at her suddenly, and Astronema found nearly a half dozen blasters aimed at her again. "You're not going anywhere."

"Cassie," the Phantom Ranger cut in quietly. The Pink Ranger tilted her helmet towards him. "Are you sure that this is wise?"

"We're not ready to take off yet," she retorted. "All we need is her showing up with Ecliptor and Darkonda and an army."

"I _never_ fight with Darkonda," Astronema hissed through narrowed eyes. "And I don't need an army."

"You're still not going anywhere." The Blue Ranger's voice was harsh.

Zhane cleared his throat quietly. _"Please?"_ he muttered telepathically. _"You can trust me."_

She didn't trust him. She was amused by him a great deal of the time, and she doubted that he would kill her deliberately. It wasn't the same as trusting him, but then, Astronema didn't trust anyone but herself. They didn't know the depths of her magic, and she knew that there was no cell on their ship that could keep her.

"Very well," she agreed, her lips twitching into a faint sneer. "You'll regret this later, Rangers, but for now, I surrender."

* * *

**Author's Note:** Well, there you have it. I hope it was worth the wait. The next chapter should be up sooner than this one, and the chapter after that Andros and Ashley finally get their date. (Did I mention that this story is _never_ going to end?) Review and tell me what you think. :) 


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer:** I still don't own the Power Rangers.

**Chapter 15**

Andros studied his forearm critically. There wasn't a scar to be seen, not even so much as a scratch. Yet only two hours ago, Darkonda's blade had sliced through his skin and as quickly as the Power healed, there should have been a deep wound right there. 

Zhane had said that Astronema had healed him, but his friend had been so distracted then that Andros hadn't paid much attention to anything that Zhane had said. Where _was_ Zhane anyway?

He sighed and turned off the shower. The steady stream of warm water dried into a trickle and then an occasional drip, and Andros reached for his towel. He dried off quickly and dressed slowly, not having a clue what he was supposed to say to the sister he hadn't seen since he had been six years old.

Shrugging on his jacket, Andros headed for the engine room. TJ had told him that they were holding Astronema there, and Zhane had volunteered to stand guard over her. That had surprised him, but not nearly as much as hearing that Ashley was there with him.

He paused outside the door and knocked quietly. Zhane was the one who let him in, and Andros stepped inside to see Ashley and Astronema--Karone?--deep in conversation. He couldn't hear a word of what they were saying and cast a curious look towards Zhane, who shrugged.

"Ash said she wanted to talk to her alone," he explained in a low voice. "I don't have a clue what they're saying."

"You never have a clue," Andros couldn't resist murmuring, and bit his lip uncertainly.

Ashley noticed him a moment later, and he saw her break off whatever she'd been saying to his sister. Andros felt a guilty pang as he saw the sling that supported one arm, but she climbed to her feet easily and laid her good hand on his shoulder reassuringly.

"Are you all right?" she asked quietly.

He nodded. "Are you?"

"Compound fracture," Zhane answered for her. "She's going to bed now, aren't you, Ash?"

Andros winced, suppressing a smile when Ashley shot a murderous glare at Zhane. That alone was enough to convince him that she would be fine.

"You need the rest," he told her, timidly giving her fingers a gentle squeeze. "You'll heal faster in your sleep."

"I know, I know." Ashley rolled her eyes, and lightly kissed his cheek. "I'm going. Good luck," she added quietly. "We'll leave you two alone."

He smiled tightly in thanks, swallowing hard as he took a step towards Astronema. She met his eyes calmly, toying idly with her long blue hair. Andros let out a deep breath and slid down to sit on the floor across from her, drawing his knees up to his chest as he wracked his brain for something to say to her.

"Your girlfriend doesn't trust me," Astronema murmured into the silence. Andros looked at her in surprise and she smiled faintly. "It's cute. But I wonder--do _you_ trust me?"

"If you are who you say you are," he answered slowly, "then I do."

Astronema considered that for a few moments, rolling strands of hair between the thumb and forefinger of one hand. "I haven't said anything to my identity one way or the other. You're the one convinced that I am your sister."

Andros had no choice but to admit that she was right; he had arrived at the conclusion that she was Karone on his own, with nothing but her locket to support him. He bit his lip uneasily, nervously considering that he might have been wrong all along. What if she _wasn't_ Karone?

"You don't." She watched him calmly for a few moments longer. "I suppose that's smart of you."

"Astronema... Karone..." Andros hesitated over her name, and looked down at his hands for a moment. "_Are_ you Karone?"

"Would you believe me if I said I didn't know?"

"I--I don't know." He watched her carefully, searching for any sign that she was lying. He saw none.

"Then it doesn't matter, does it," she said quietly.

"How can you say that?"

"Easily." She looked at him, bored, and added, "Ecliptor tells me you killed my brother. I have more reason to believe him."

"How could I have killed your brother?" he demanded. "If we're not the same age, we're close enough."

"Children can kill."

"I've never killed anyone," Andros insisted. "Ever."

"Oh?" She arched an eyebrow at him. "Those creatures all blew themselves up, did they?"

"I--" He frowned at her as he considered that. "Those were monsters."

"You see in black and white," she observed. "Who are you to say that they weren't anything more?"

"They were attacking my home. I wasn't going to stand there and let them."

"Hmm." Astronema regarded him critically. "It was KO-35 that you were born."

Andros nodded his head slowly. "My sister and I both."

"You were the firstborn?" she inquired, and he looked up hopefully. Only curiosity shone in her eyes, and he sighed.

"By six minutes, yes."

"Twins?" Surprise flickered briefly across her face, and her eyes lowered. "Me too," she told him quietly.

Andros hugged his legs and rested his chin on his knees. "Can you remember me?" he asked her, not daring to let himself hope this time. "Our parents? Anything?"

"I don't have many memories of my childhood," Astronema said stiffly, and he nodded.

"Neither do I. But sometimes it seems like too many," he admitted softly. Taking a deep breath, he told her, "After Darkonda gave you to Ecliptor, he sold me to slave traders."

She nodded in acknowledgment of his words, considering that. "How much were you worth?" she asked finally, and he flinched.

Andros lowered his eyes and let out a sigh, determined to answer the question. Anything to make her trust him. "In universal currency?"

"Whatever."

He squeezed his eyes shut, furious that he still felt the hurt. "One hundred."

Her eyes widened at that. "A drink on Onyx costs fifty."

"I know that," he growled, his nails digging into his palms. "Darkonda wanted two thousand. Baldric told him that I wouldn't last a year, and if he thought I was worth two thousand then he should have waited until the bruises healed."

Something nearly sympathetic touched her expression. Andros didn't dare let himself hope that it was a sign of anything at all. "You were beaten that badly?"

Andros clenched his jaw and kept his answer quick. "Yes."

"If it's any consolation, you'd be worth millions now."

"Not really."

"I didn't think so." Astronema rearranged herself more comfortably. "What happened after he sold you?"

"I..." He took a deep breath, closing his eyes as he let it out.

"You tell me yours and I'll tell you mine," she offered.

"I..." Trapped, he nodded his head reluctantly. If it would make her trust him, what choice did he have? "Okay."

Andros bit his lip, his chin pillowed on his knees as for the first time in years, he allowed himself to remember. Astronema sat silently, hands in her lap as she waited patiently. Taking another breath to compose himself, Andros started talking.

_"A new one, eh?" The man stared down at him with scary eyes, the kind of face his dad usually made when he did something wrong. Andros tried to back up when the man caught him by the chin, not knowing what he was in trouble for._

_"I--"_

_He jumped when the man slapped him full across the face, first more scared than hurt. He felt the pain a second later, a furious stinging that burned his right cheek, and his eyes filled with tears that rolled down his cheeks as he sniffled._

_"Quiet," he was ordered. "No one wants to hear you."_

_Andros scrubbed at his eyes with one hand, rubbing his sore cheek with the other. The man took both his hands and held his wrists over his head, twisting them harshly until Andros screamed._

_"Take off your shirt."_

_His hands were released, and Andros tried to get away. He backed up into a table, gulping in fear when he heard something clatter to the floor behind him. The man took another step towards him, furiously angry._

_"Take off your shirt or the mark goes on your cheek instead. You have ten seconds to make up your mind."_

Andros stared at the floor dully before lifting his eyes to Astronema's. "Then he branded me," he finished quietly. "Your turn." 

"I meant it when I said I didn't remember much," she said. "My earliest memories are of Ecliptor telling me that you killed my family."

"Oh." He didn't know how else to answer that. Andros settled back and tried to get comfortable. He already knew this wasn't going to be a pleasant conversation.

* * *

TJ sat in Cassie's chair on the Bridge, doing nothing of any particular importance. Carlos had volunteered for the internal repairs, and Cassie and Zhane had tackled the external damage. Ashley was ordered to rest, Andros was with his sister, and who knew where Arietis was. That left him sitting on the Bridge informing the others of their progress, which Deca could have done herself in minutes had she been fully functional. 

With a sigh, he poked at the console in front of him. The display read the shields nearly at full, and he lifted his communicator to tell Zhane. Cassie answered instead.

"Oh, hey Teej," she said wearily. "_Please_ say that we're almost done."

"No worries," he replied with a smile. "Shields are ninety percent and Megalasers are eighty-five."

"Zhane's taking care of the Megalasers, I'll tell him," she told him, and paused. "Where's everyone else?"

"Ash is getting some sleep, Andros is with Astronema, Carlos is around here somewhere, and I don't have a clue where the Phantom is," he said after some thought. "Why?"

"I just wanted to know what you thought," Cassie said. "Astronema. Are we safe with her around?"

"I wish I knew, Cass," he sighed. "Even if she really is Andros's sister, she's been raised to fight Rangers_." She could kill us right under our noses..._

"You think there's no good left in her?"

"I don't know." TJ sighed and scratched the back of his head. "I don't think Andros would bring her here if she wasn't, but... he didn't really bring her here."

"Yeah." Cassie was silent for a few moments, and then he heard her sigh. "I should get back to work."

"Me too," he agreed, and cut the connection. It was back to staring mindlessly at the consoles, then.

Which was entirely preferable to having company, he decided as the Phantom Ranger strolled onto the Bridge. "Hello."

TJ didn't look up. "Hi."

"I am looking for Cassie," Arietis spoke up after a few moments of awkward silence. "Do you know where I could find her?"

"She's working," TJ said shortly. "You can say goodbye to her later."

The Phantom Ranger regarded him in confusion. "I... am not leaving."

TJ finally looked up. "You're not?"

"It is for the best if I remain with your crew," Arietis explained. "At least for now."

"No," TJ said, rather more harshly than he'd intended. "You can't keep leaving her like this."

"Am I interrupting anything?"

They both fell silent as Andros stepped onto the Bridge, his face tired. TJ shook his head. "No, of course not," he answered. "We're done talking, did you need something?"

"I..." The Red Ranger sighed wearily. "You won't like this idea much, but it's necessary."

"Let's hear it then." TJ folded his arms as he waited for Andros to speak. Ever since the Onyx incident, the Red Ranger had been almost friendly, but his expression now was guarded.

"She has to stay here." There was no question who she was, and TJ's immediate reaction must have been his expression, for Andros quickly added, "You can have her under supervision all you want, but she has to stay, and we can't keep her locked up in the engine room forever."

TJ never understood why they were keeping her in the engine room to begin with. That was possibly the worst place on the entire ship to hold prisoners.

"No," he agreed reluctantly. "I guess we can't."

"It is an impractical solution," Arietis concurred. "However... are you sure you're willing to give Astronema free reign on the Megaship?"

And TJ had once thought they'd never agree on anything. Andros glared at them both. "She's my _sister_."

Arietis nodded slowly, and sighed. "For all our sakes, I hope that you're right."

* * *

Ashley woke slowly, groggy from whatever it was that had been in that liquid Cassie had force-fed her. She wasn't complaining--she'd rather be sleepy than feel her arm right about now. None of them had let her look for herself, which had really been more irritating than anything else, but she knew that it had been a nasty break. 

Sighing, she rolled over onto her back and stretched out her legs. "How long have I been asleep for?"

"Four hours and two minutes," Deca's calm voice replied instantly. "In Angel Grove, it would be seven fifty-four in the evening."

"Thanks." Ashley covered her mouth with her good hand to stifle a yawn. "What's our ETA back to Earth?"

"Approximately ten hours."

"Oh." Ashley rubbed her forehead with another sigh. She rolled back onto her side and groaned. Her head was starting to pound. "Can you send a signal through to Earth?" she wanted to know. "I need to tell someone where I am."

"I cannot guarantee the stability of the connection," Deca warned. "However, I can transmit a signal."

"So I can call my house somehow?"

"I can project the comm signal from your communicator in such a way," Deca offered, and Ashley smiled.

"That'd be great," she yawned, and flipped open her morpher. "Thanks."

A few seconds later, she was hearing her house phone ring through her communicator. Like a speakerphone, she thought, amused, and waited. Her brother's voice floated back to her a moment later, and Ashley let out a breath in relief.

"Hey Jeff." Ashley bit her lip hesitantly. "I, um... well, I'm fine so don't worry about me. I won't be back until tomorrow, though."

"Oh." Her brother mulled that over for a few moments. "Is this one of those times when I shouldn't ask?"

"Probably," Ashley admitted. "Tell Mom I'm all right, okay?"

"Sure thing, Ash," he promised. "And you stay safe."

She stared at her morpher through the darkness for a long time. Her family knew, and she couldn't imagine going through this having to lie to them, but sometime... it was still too much. Sometimes, she just wanted to be... well, normal again.

A quiet knock on her door interrupted her thoughts, and Ashley sat up. "Come in," she called.

To her surprise, it was Andros that stepped into her room. "I wanted to see how you were doing," he explained, hovering near her doorway. "Is your arm all right?"

"I can't feel it at all," she told him. "Come in for awhile. Sit down."

"You should be resting," he insisted, but he did take a few more steps into the room. She saw his eyes flick between her bed and the chair beside her desk. Ashley wasn't surprised when he went for the chair.

"And how are you?" she questioned him gently. "How is she?"

"I'm fine," he said, pushing the chair a little closer to her before he sat. "I think... She has to be Karone. She has to be."

"I hope that she is," Ashley said quietly. "But she doesn't have to be."

"Ecliptor's spent her entire life telling her that I've killed her family," he argued back bitterly. "I can hardly believe that she's here if she thinks everything he's told her is true..."

"What did he tell her?" she asked tentatively.

"I slaughtered her family as a child," he said. "I've been hunting her ever since. When I find her, I'll torture her to death. I make my living as an assassin, among other things."

"And yet you're one of the good guys?"

"So it seems." Andros sighed and shook his head. "I don't know if she believes me."

"Just give her some time," she said quietly. "I know it's probably not what you want to hear, but it's going to take some time for her to adjust."

"Oh, I know." He ran a hand through his hair as his shoulders slumped slightly. "I want to give her limited access to the ship. I know what you're thinking," he added quickly. "I got the same reaction from TJ at first, but we can't leave her in the engine room for the next three or four days."

"True." Ashley thought for a moment. "I guess that's okay..."

"She won't be able to enter the Bridge or anywhere else alone," he told her unhappily. "I'll find a room for her, and she can access the Simudeck, Glider bay, and Observatory."

"I'll trust you on this," she said finally. "I hope you're right about her, Andros."

"Me too," he said quietly. "You should probably get some more sleep, Ash."

"I should probably get up and do some homework," she said with a grimace. "I've got a test Monday, and it's bad enough that I wasn't there today."

"You shouldn't have had to miss school for this," he apologized. "We had no choice this time."

"It's all right. Once in awhile," she amended. "Don't worry about it."

He smiled at her a little. "Do you need any help? I mean, your arm..." His voice trailed off, and she nodded.

"Actually, that'd be great." She smiled at him, biting her lip when he blushed faintly. "You know physics, right?"

He looked surprised that she'd even ask. "Of course I do."

"Good. Because I don't, and I'm supposed to." Ashley pointed to the backpack she'd dumped on her desk. "There's a physics book in there."

He returned to the chair with the book and she shook her head, scooting over and patting the bed next to her. "Come here," she insisted. "I can see better, and you won't be comfortable in that chair."

Andros looked at her, startled, and for a moment she thought he was about to refuse. She looked at him curiously, but he only sighed and nodded before shifting over onto the mattress beside her.

"What is it that you're stuck on?" he wanted to know, offering no explanation for his behavior and Ashley didn't ask for one.

"Well... everything," she admitted sheepishly. "Chem and bio I did great, but this year, I don't know. I just don't get it, and it really doesn't help that morphing breaks just about every known law of nature."

Andros shook his head. "The laws of nature only describe what is," he told her. "They can't be broken."

She looked at him skeptically. "So it's perfectly natural to push a button and have superpowers?"

"Yes," he answered, in total seriousness. "If you happen to be a Ranger."

Ashley smiled and poked his shoulder with her good hand. "Or maybe," she said quietly, "there's some things that science can't explain. Astronema's magic."

"Concentration of energy," he said immediately. "Under certain conditions it can cause a black hole."

She stared at him blankly. "It... can?"

He nodded, glancing back down at the book in his lap. "Should we start at the beginning?"

"Please," she said gratefully. "And if you get tired of me not getting it, then just stop, okay?"

He frowned and shook his head. "I'll stay with you until you understand."

The offer was sincere, and she turned to look at him. Touched, she reached around with her right arm to hug him as best she could, just holding onto him. Andros let her hug him for awhile longer before he pushed her back gently, his mouth opening in explanation.

Ashley shook her head before he could speak, and smiled at him. "Thanks," she said softly. "I guess we should get to work."

A look of relief flashed across his face very briefly as he nodded. Ashley wondered but didn't ask, just opening the book to the first chapter. Andros skimmed it quickly, nodding in comprehension before he proceeded to spend the next two hours patiently explaining to her the different forms of energy.

* * *

**Author's Note: **I'm so sorry this chapter took so long, the next two were just way more fun to write. On the upside, I should be able to update twice more before next week. (Next chapter they finally go on their date.) I hope you like it, please review!  



	16. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the Power Rangers.

**Chapter 16**

Ashley double-checked to be sure that her nail polish had dried and grabbed her purse. She smoothed down the black skirt one last time and straightened up, heading for the Bridge. Andros had asked her to meet him there at seven, five minutes from now. Just enough time for her not to be late.

He was already there when she arrived, arms crossed over his chest while he stared at the floor. Ashley watched him for a moment, a smile on her face. He was dressed in a new pair of jeans and a red button-down shirt, his hair falling loosely around his shoulders. His expression was nervous and uncertain, and she tried not to sigh. Even with that look on his face, he was adorable. She'd just have to get him to relax a little.

"Hi," she said softly, stepping past the doors onto the Bridge.

He froze, his eyes flickering towards hers tentatively. "H--hi," he stammered, forcing a smile. "You look nice."

She was completely surprised to feel herself blush, warmth touching her cheeks and neck. Andros was hardly even looking at her! She shouldn't feel this flustered. But he'd never once said anything about how she looked, and that he did now made her stomach flutter.

"Thanks," Ashley murmured quietly. "You do too. So, where are we going?"

"Well, I..." Andros straightened up, his eyes on the floor again. "I didn't know where I should take you, but the others said that you liked Chinese food..."

"I love it, actually," she corrected him with a smile. "That sounds great."

"You're sure?" he asked anxiously. "We could go somewhere else."

"Chinese sounds great," she repeated firmly. Impulsively, she stepped to his side and touched his arm, lightly kissing his cheek. "Hey, you can relax a little," she told him softly. "It's just dinner."

"Yeah," he agreed distantly. He finally dropped his arms down to his sides, and she caught one of his hands. His palms were sweaty, and she smiled a little. He needed to loosen up.

"Deca, teleport us to Angel Grove," Andros requested, and her fingers tightened over his everything dissolved around her.

When the sparkles faded, Ashley glanced around to find them in downtown Angel Grove. The early autumn air was still warm, but just cool enough to be comfortable. She smiled up at Andros, sighing when she found him looking down again.

"Which way?" she asked, as they emerged from behind the dumpsters and made their way back to the sidewalk. "There's two Chinese restaurants and a Thai place around here."

"It was... this way." Andros pointed towards their left, and then frowned. "At least I think it was..."

"Well, what was the name of it?" she prompted.

"Um..." He blushed and stared at his feet. "I'm not sure..."

Ashley sighed in amused exasperation. "Was there a dragon anywhere in the name?"

He shook his head. "No," he said with certainty. "There wasn't."

She smiled and tugged on his hand. "This way, then," and took a step towards the right. "We're going to Liu's. It was the small family-owned place, right?"

He nodded, his expression brightening. "Yeah," he said sheepishly. "That was it."

Ashley laughed gently and squeezed his hand. "Come on, then," she said. "I'm starving!"

Andros didn't answer, but she heard him let out a deep breath just before they stepped inside. She assumed that meant that they'd gone to the right restaurant.

The air-conditioning teased their hair lightly as the door shut behind them, and Ashley shivered slightly. She wished she'd brought a jacket, she thought to herself distractedly, following Andros to a small table in the corner.

"Have you ever had Chinese before?" she asked, unsurprised when he shook his head no. "You'll love it, I promise."

"You can order," he said, examining the menu with a frown. "You know what you like."

"Um..." Ashley studied her menu for a few moments. "Do you like spicy food?"

"I--I guess so," he said uncertainly, and shrugged. "There's not a lot I won't eat."

"A little of everything, then," Ashley decided. "How hungry are you?"

"Hungry enough to eat?"

She laughed. "Then we'll skip the soup. A vegetable dish, a meat dish, and some rice sound good?"

Andros nodded without answering, and Ashley shook her head with a small smile. His nervousness was surprisingly sweet, in a way. Part of her wanted to just throw her arms around him in a hug. The rest of her just wanted to shake him.

"Are you two ready to order?" The waiter appeared at their table out of nowhere, pad and pen in hand.

"Yes we are." Ashley smiled and quickly glanced down at the menu one more time. "We'll have one order of orange chicken, the snow peas, and rice for two people. Oh, and two glasses of water, please."

The waiter left, and Ashley's eyes slid back to Andros. The moment she caught his eye he looked away. She sighed quietly when he fiddled with he silverware, reaching across the table to catch his hands.

"How was your day?" she asked finally, when she couldn't think of anything else.

"Fine," he muttered. When he glanced over his shoulder, Ashley thought that he was going to add something that others weren't meant to overhear, but he fell silent after that.

Her gaze drifted towards the window. The sidewalks were still crowded on Saturday evening, some shoppers and some probably making their way to the clubs up the street. Ashley smiled trying to picture Andros in a dance club. That topped the list of places he would never go.

"Ashley?" he ventured quietly, and her head snapped back towards him.

"Yeah?"

"I--I, um..." She wondered idly if he was going to blush every time he opened his mouth. "I just--"

Andros broke off midsentence and turned quickly to look behind him. Ashley looked at him curiously, but he only let out a deep breath and started talking again. "I just wanted to--to say that... um, I... you..." His voice trailed off in a sigh. "Forget it."

Disappointed, Ashley settled back into her seat and tried to get comfortable. A look she couldn't comprehend flashed across Andros's face and he sighed again, fidgeting around and playing with his silverware some more. She just watched him and wondered what was so wrong.

They sat there in silence until the food arrived. Andros studied the food with some interest, and she thought he finally relaxed. Ashley helped herself to some chicken and reached for her chopsticks, digging in.

It was a moment before she noticed that Andros was holding a chopstick in each hand and glaring at them both. She smiled as he glanced between her hand and his own, before looking up at her face, baffled.

"How do you..."

Ashley laughed and set hers aside, reaching across the table. "Here," she said, and arranged them in his hand. "Does that feel comfortable?"

"I... not really," he admitted, clumsily picking up a piece of meat. It fell off halfway to his mouth.

Ashley tried not to giggle. He clearly wasn't amused. "It's tricky at first," she tried to reassure him. "Just use a fork this time."

Andros stabbed half-heartedly at a pea. A brief look of intense fury passed across his face before he set the chopsticks aside and picked up the fork. Ashley watched him uneasily, not sure what was bothering him but not feeling like she should ask.

He didn't eat much. Neither did she and half an hour later, Ashley just wanted to get outside. She wondered if she could get him to take a walk with her, anything to open him up a little.

She perked up when their fortune cookies arrived. Andros even smiled a little when he cracked his open and found the paper inside, but his face clouded when he read it.

Ashley rolled her eyes at her own. _We come to love not by finding the perfect person but by learning to see an imperfect person perfectly._ "That's not even a fortune," she complained quietly. "I swear I've gotten an e-mail that said the exact same thing." But it was sweet in a corny sort of way and probably true... and besides, the last fortune she'd gotten had said that she would have good luck in business investments. Ashley smiled and slid the tiny slip of paper into her purse.

"What's yours say?" she wanted to know, when he wouldn't stop staring at the piece of paper in his hand. "I'll tell you mine."

"It's nothing," he muttered, and crumpled the paper in his hand. "Are you done?"

"Yeah," she said, and smiled at him. "Thanks for dinner, Andros."

He didn't smile back. If anything, he only looked even more unhappy. Ashley sighed and reached for her purse. "Let's pay and get out of here, all right?" she said. "It's still light out, we can go take a walk or something."

"I... sure." Surprise flicked across his face, but he nodded his head. She saw him frown a moment later and looked over at him quizzically. His eyes met hers a moment later and he sighed, his shoulders slumping. "I... don't have any money," he mumbled. "I forgot..."

"Oh..." Ashley remembered suddenly what Zhane had told her once--on KO-35 Rangers didn't pay. She frowned as Andros glared down at his lap and reached for her purse. "Don't worry about it," she told him. "I've got enough."

"I'm sorry," he muttered, eyes on his hands. "I--"

"Don't worry about it," she repeated firmly. "It's all right. You're not used to Earth."

That didn't seem to make him feel any better, and she heard him blow out his breath in a sigh. "I'll pay you back."

"No you won't." She shook her head when he looked up at her, and smiled. "If it bothers you so much, remember your money the next time we go out."

His eyes narrowed, and Ashley winced inwardly. She hadn't meant to say that, and she knew that he knew it. Not that she wouldn't want to go out with him again, it was just that... well... "Let's go take a walk or something, all right?" she said abruptly, and stood up.

Andros seemed to like the idea of getting out of there. He shot up so quickly that he disrupted the table, is mostly-full water glass tipping over. Ashley jumped back as the water sloshed over the edge of the table, spilling across her skirt.

She yelped in surprise as the cold touched her skin, laughing by the time she grabbed a napkin to soak it all up. "It's all right," she said, when Andros opened his mouth to apologize. "Come on, let's get out of here."

"I'm sorry," he muttered anyway, his eyes on the floor as he followed her to the register. He still wasn't looking at her when they stepped outside, and she grabbed his arm until he turned towards her. "What?"

"What do you want to do right now?" she asked. "This really isn't your thing, is it?"

"I don't care," he said, staring hard at the sidewalk. "Whatever you want is fine."

She looked at him skeptically. "You want to walk around window-shopping?" He looked like he just wanted to run back to his room and lock the door behind him.

Andros shrugged. "Is that what you want to do?"

"Yeah," she admitted. "But if you'd rather go back to the Megaship..."

He shook his head. "I told you, it's fine," he said, rather unconvincingly. "Really."

"Okay, then," she said, and took his hand. Ashley wasn't really surprised to feel his palms sweating, and wondered what she was thinking. She should just give up and go back to the Megaship already.

She just kept... hoping that he'd open up just a little. Her mind thought back to the Andros who had stayed with her a few days before, helping her with her homework and writing it down for her when she couldn't use her arm. That was the guy she wanted to be on a date with.

He followed her towards the stores, pulling his hand out of hers. Ashley paused and glanced back at him. Andros was keeping up with her fine, but he didn't seem to want either to talk to her or look at her. She knew he was embarrassed, and she could totally understand why, but if he would just look at her and say something, she would forget it in five minutes.

"That would look nice on you," she said suddenly, pausing to study a men's leather jacket on display. "It'd fit your shoulders really well. In case you ever need a leather jacket," she added sheepishly. "Sorry, I notice things like that. I'm thinking about being a designer."

"Of clothes?" He smiled a little bit when she nodded, his eyes drifting back towards the jacket. "Are you sure it would look good?"

"Well, no." Ashley grinned at him. "The only way you'll know for sure is if you try it on."

"Um... that's all right," he said, shaking his head.

"Oh." Disappointed, she turned to keep walking. "Okay, then."

She'd barely gone more than three steps before she stopped again, this time in front of a jewelry display. One bracelet caught her eye, a simple, delicate silver chain linking together pearls and an orange gem that she thought might have been topaz. Ashley only let herself admire it for a moment, knowing that she really shouldn't keep doing this to Andros. She just kept hoping that he'd stop... hiding.

"Ashley! Hey Ash!"

She glanced up when she heard her name, turning to catch sight of the speaker. "Elijah! Hi!" Ashley laughed as her brother's best friend caught up with her, his girlfriend just behind him. "What are you doing here?"

"Going dancing," Laurel said brightly. "You two wanna come?"

"Oh, um, maybe next time," Ashley said quickly, remembering her earlier thoughts about Andros in a club. "We're just walking around. Andros, this is Elijah and Laurel. They're both seniors at Angel Grove High with the rest of us. Guys, this is Andros."

Andros shook both their hands and smiled politely, but she saw him back up a few steps once introductions were made. She shot him a curious look when he let out a deep breath, but he shook his head at her.

"You sure you don't want to come?" Elijah wanted to know.

"You can go if you want to, Ash," Andros said softly. "I'll just go back to the--I'll just go home."

"No, Andros..." She shook her head. If he hadn't been with her, she would have jumped at the chance, but she didn't care how this date was going. It was still a date and she wasn't going to ditch him.

"Really, it's okay. You should have some fun tonight." Andros took a few more steps backwards. "I'll see you later."

"Andros..." She sighed and shook her head when he disappeared around the corner, knowing that he'd probably teleported himself out by now.

"Everything all right?" Laurel asked curiously. "Your boyfriend seems a little--"

"Nervous," Ashley finished for her, not wanting to know what her friend would come up with. "Long story. I should go find him..."

"Come with us," Elijah insisted. "Just for half an hour or so. It'll be fun."

"I really shouldn't..." Ashley sighed and shoved her hair back. But maybe Andros just wanted some time alone, and he'd been the one to leave in the first place... Feeling guiltier than she probably should, Ashley nodded slowly. "Well, all right. But just for a little while."

* * *

"Hungry?" a cheerful voice asked. Astronema looked up when Zhane stepped into the room, a tray in his hands. "I brought some food." 

"Not really," she answered, sitting cross-legged on her bed.

"I'll eat it, then," he volunteered, and she had to smile as he set the tray on her dresser and pulled up a chair. "You sure you don't want any? It's good."

"I'm sure." She toyed with her hair for a moment while he ate, sick of blue. Maybe she'd go blond again... Astronema gave her head a quick shake, and frowned. No. Purple was much better.

"Whoa." Zhane stared at her for a moment, and then took another sip of whatever he was drinking. "That was cool."

Inexplicably, a pleased smile appeared on her face. "Magic."

He nodded slowly. "Can you do... anything?"

She shrugged. "Everything I've tried."

"Wish I could do that," he remarked. "It'd come in handy when I needed to get Andros for something."

"You're horrible."

"Thanks." He grinned at her widely, sobering as he added, "Speaking of Andros..."

"I--I don't know." Sometimes she thought she knew him, but those images were hazy, almost like dreams. "I don't know," she repeated.

"It's going to take more than a few days," Zhane said seriously. "He knows that, and I hope you do too."

She nodded slowly. She knew. It was what kept her on this ship full of Rangers that didn't trust her, just hoping that she would remember her brother. "Thanks," Astronema said quietly to the Silver Ranger.

He just smiled at her. "Anytime."

* * *

He hadn't bothered to turn on a light. Andros kept his head buried in the pillow, ignoring Deca's persistent attempts to get him to talk. It was times like now that her human side irritated him to no end--_why_ wouldn't she just leave him alone when he asked? 

"I cannot empathize with your situation if you refuse to talk," she reminded him for what was probably the tenth or twentieth time. "You haven't been this difficult in years," she added in a more human tone. "Won't you talk about it?"

"No." Andros sighed and rolled over onto his back. "Look, Deca, leave me alone. The next time I need intensive therapy, I'll come find you."

"I do not believe that deal is beneficial to either of us," she remarked, and he groaned.

"Go away." He turned back onto his stomach. "I don't want to talk to you."

Miraculously, she fell silent. Andros let out a deep breath and closed his eyes, only to lift his head slightly when someone knocked on his door. "Tell whoever it is to go away," he muttered. "I don't feel like seeing anyone."

He dropped his head back down and buried his face in the pillow, his eyes squeezed shut. He wondered how long it would be before anyone noticed if he just stayed in bed for a few days. Facing Ashley after the mess he'd made of tonight... he couldn't do that.

"Ashley wishes to speak with you," Deca informed him, and Andros groaned into the pillow.

He'd wanted so badly for tonight to be perfect for her... But every time that he'd opened his mouth, he'd been too tongue-tied to speak. He hadn't meant to spill water on her and no one had told him that he was supposed to pay for things on Earth, but he should have known. He hadn't even been able to figure out how to eat right.

"Tell her I'm asleep," he ordered Deca, and tried to think of anything but their date for a moment.

The door slid open instead. Andros sat up and shot an angry glare at Deca. She only blinked calmly at him and turned the lights up, and his gaze shifted unconsciously towards Ashley.

His face suddenly felt very hot. "H--hi," he stuttered awkwardly. "I, um... did you need something?"

"I wanted to apologize," she said softly, and his eyes widened in surprise. "I shouldn't have left you the way that I did."

"I was the one who left," he muttered. He didn't know what else to say, except that he couldn't blame her for not coming after him. "Did you at least have fun with them?"

"Yeah." She didn't look away. "But I would rather have been with you."

He almost wanted to laugh. "Ashley, you don't have to--"

"I'm not just saying that," she insisted, folding her arms over her chest. "Look, Andros, I really do like you. I know you were nervous and I know that tonight didn't go so well, but I was wondering if maybe you would want to have lunch with me on Saturday?"

"I..." Andros stared at her guardedly, but he almost thought she was totally serious. She watched him expectantly, and relief flooded through him, mingled with confusion. "But--really?"

Ashley nodded, smiling a little at him. "Is that a yes?"

He watched her uncertainly for a moment longer. He really didn't want to do anything that would make him feel like a fool again, but on the other hand... she didn't really seem to mind that he'd already done so once. "I... all right," he agreed, smiling tentatively. "That sounds... nice."

She nodded slowly. "I'll plan everything this time, okay?"

"If you want to." He wondered at the mysterious little smile playing on her lips, but he didn't ask.

"Oh, and Andros?" Ashley's expression turned decidedly more mischievous as she took a step closer to him. "There's something else that you're supposed to do on a date."

He frowned. "What's that?"

She was sitting on the bed next to him a moment later, one of her hands pushing his shoulder until he faced her. Andros tensed, skin crawling as he realized how... close she was. It had never bothered him before, and there was no reason it should bother him now, he told himself firmly, unable to quash his sudden uneasiness. This was Ashley. His friend. His... girlfriend? Andros bit his lip anxiously.

He hadn't realized before how much... touching there was involved in this. Ashley was an affectionate person and Andros was mostly okay with that, because it had never felt like she was demanding anything from him. Her hugs had been more comforting than anything else, and he hadn't minded her kissing his cheek because, well... she was smiling and happy and it had made him feel the same. Now, though, she was looking at him like she was expecting him to do something, and he didn't feel okay about it anymore.

"Ashley?" he said, scooting away from her. "Don't..."

"Andros?" He tensed when she laid a hand on his shoulder, and she drew away immediately. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," he muttered. "I... what are you doing?"

"What do you want me to do?" she asked softly. "Andros?"

"I--I don't know," he stammered. That wasn't much of an answer, and he just told he the truth. "You're looking at me like I'm supposed to do something or know what you're doing, and I don't."

Surprise crossed her face. "Is that what it seems like?" she wanted to know. "Because I don't expect more than you can give, however much or little that is."

"Oh." Andros stared at his lap for a few minutes, just thinking. He really did want to kiss her, it was just that... he was scared. He didn't know what he was afraid _of_, but he didn't have a clue what he was doing, and kissing her would mean letting her get closer to him than anyone ever had. Andros wasn't sure which one was bothering him the most.

"I... I've never kissed anyone before," he muttered finally.

"I know that," she said softly. "Look at me for a minute?"

Andros knew exactly what Ashley was going to do, and for a minute he almost didn't turn his head towards her. He wasn't sure what it was that made him change his mind, but slowly, he turned his head to the side, his heart thudding anxiously when he found their noses almost bumping. Ashley smiled at him and leaned a little closer, and just for a second, her lips touched his. Andros relaxed, staring at her with wide eyes as she pulled away.

"See?" she whispered, her breath hot on his mouth. "It's not so hard."

Andros bit down hard on the inside of his lip, still feeling her mouth warm against his. The smile broke through anyway, and he knew he was blushing again. "Can I kiss you?" he asked, feeling her laugh more than he heard it.

"You don't have to ask," she murmured. He didn't care.

He pressed his lips against hers carefully, still not quite sure what he was supposed to do. Her lips were warm and soft, and for some reason tasted like strawberries. Andros pulled back quickly, before he unknowingly did something that he wasn't supposed to.

Ashley sighed and leaned her head against his shoulder, one of her arms wrapping around his middle. He carefully pulled his arm out from beneath hers and draped it over her shoulders, just holding her.

"This is nice," Ashley murmured, and he couldn't help but agree whole-heartedly.

"I should get some sleep," she said regretfully a moment later, slowly straightening up. Her fingers brushed lightly against his cheek and she smiled, leaning forward to kiss him one more time. "I'll see you in the morning."

He nodded, a smile on his face as he watched her walk away. Letting out a deep breath as the door slid shut after her, Andros flopped down and rolled onto his back, exhausted. Ashley asking him to lunch only made him feel marginally less stupid, but as for those kisses... A grin spread across his face and he closed his eyes, only to open them again in annoyance when his door slid open.

"Don't you ever knock?" he demanded, vaguely aware that he was still grinning like an idiot.

Zhane just smirked at him. "So, how was your date?"

* * *

**Author's Note:** Yes I know I'm being mean to Andros. I don't care. This was too much fun to write. ::grins:: He'll make it up to her later. Next chapter will be up in a few days, and the story can actually start now that they've kissed. Hope you like it, please review. 


	17. Chapter 17

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the Power Rangers.

**Chapter 17**

"Morning, Dros," Zhane yawned as he strolled onto the Bridge early the next morning. "You're up early."

"Couldn't sleep."

"Oh." Zhane stifled another yawn with his hand. "Shouldn't you be with your girlfriend?"

"I... she's not my girlfriend," Andros muttered, blushing immediately. "Can we not talk about this?"

Damn, but he wanted to know what had happened the night before. Zhane had spent half an hour trying to coax the story out of him, but Andros hadn't said a word. His friend had just sat there with that stupid grin on his face, so Zhane assumed that it couldn't have gone too badly...

"Don't I get a say in this?" another sleepy voice inquired, and Zhane turned to see Ashley sleepwalk onto the Bridge. "Because I'm telling people you're my boyfriend."

"You... are?"

Ashley nodded. "Unless you don't want me to."

"No, it's all right." Andros ducked his head, and Zhane saw him smile. "You can say that."

He thought Ashley had trouble not to giggle. She came up behind Andros's seat and leaned over to throw her arms around his neck in an impulsive hug, whispering in his ear something that Zhane couldn't hear.

The Silver Ranger raised an eyebrow when Andros didn't seem to mind the hug. He did pull away rather quickly, but considering that the last time Zhane had come up behind him Andros had nearly put him into a coma... Okay, so he'd been testing out the new costume he'd bought and it had been dark out, but still.

"Well, I think I'm going to go have breakfast now," he announced loudly, wondering if Astronema would care to join him. Yeah. He really should mention that to Andros.

"Okay," Ashley answered distractedly, smiling at a clearly flustered Andros. "Sounds good."

He rolled his eyes at the pair of them before retreating into the hall. Now that he thought of it, he really was hungry. Stomach growling, Zhane set off cheerfully for the holding bay.

He never reached it. Halfway there, Deca's voice requested all Rangers present on the Bridge. With a heavy sigh, Zhane turned around, wondering what trouble Andros had managed to get himself into in two minutes.

The doors were still open, and Zhane spotted Andros from halfway down the corridor. There was something unsettling about the way his friend stood so stiffly, hands clasped behind his back. Ashley looked equally tense, and as he drew closer he saw the Phantom Ranger standing morphed off to the side.

He stepped back onto the Bridge and probably didn't do a very good job of hiding the grimace that he felt on his face. The Red Eltaran Ranger stared out at them from the viewing screen, and Zhane distinctly remembered disliking him.

"We would maximize our chances of weakening Dark Spectre by finding Zordon," Tan insisted. "The Eltaran team is immobilized. We have no ships, no supplies. The Phantom Ranger was charged with recovering Zordon, and if he has become a member of your crew then you are as well."

"We have been searching for Zordon," Andros replied patiently. Zhane had a feeling it wasn't the first time he'd said it. "We'll keep you informed of our progress."

"And what progress would that be?" Tan prompted. "I see none."

"We recently traced Zordon to the Vica Galaxy," Andros informed him. "I believe he was taken again by Divatox."

The Eltaran considered that for a few moments. "And since then?"

Andros didn't reply.

"I assumed as much. Your team will report to Meisia, where Cia can brief you in person." One corner of his mouth turned up into the faintest sneer, and Zhane had had enough.

"We have a new crew member," he said loudly. "You wouldn't welcome her."

_"Zhane,"_ Andros snapped sharply, as Tan raised one eyebrow questioningly.

"Who is she that we wouldn't welcome her?"

"My sister," Andros replied coolly. "You know her as Astronema."

Shock registered clearly on the Eltaran's face before he masked it with incredulity. "You've made Astronema your _shipmate?_"

"Yes," Andros said simply.

Disbelief yielded to fury. "Did you invite Darkonda onto your ship, too?"

"I--" Andros changed directions abruptly, his tone cold and curt. "We'll keep you informed of our progress."

Deca cut the transmission without orders, and the tension in Andros's back melted away visibly. His face was dark as he whirled around towards Zhane, but his shoulders slumped as he let out a soft sigh.

"I don't suppose that would have gone any better in person," he muttered, and Zhane let himself relax.

"Sorry," he offered sheepishly. "I just don't like that guy."

An almost amused smile tugged at Andros's lips. It was gone a moment later, and the Red Ranger let out a heavy sigh. "I'm going to go talk to Karone. Maybe she'll want to..."

His voice trailed off, and he shrugged. "I'll just try to talk to her."

Guilt that he couldn't ignore pricked at Zhane's conscience. "See if she wants to see Angel Grove," he suggested. "I think she'd like it."

Andros smiled a little, but it faded as he left the Bridge. Zhane sighed as he watched him go, unable to help laughing nervously as the other Rangers fixed their eyes on him. "What?"

"What's wrong with that guy?" Carlos demanded. "What did Andros do to him?"

"It is rather... complicated," Phantom Ranger offered as he demorphed. "I'm fairly confident that there is only one man Tan would deem an... appropriate Red Ranger."

"I'm going to guess that Andros isn't that one guy," TJ said, and Zhane shook his head.

"You know who Eiran was?" he questioned, and they nodded. "That guy. He and Aileana were cousins of Tan's. Or second cousins, I forget which. Eiran and his father died trying to escape Viton and Andros got away... Let's just say they've never taken to each other."

"Oh." Ashley crossed her arms over her chest, glancing back towards the viewing screen as though she expected Tan to still be there watching them. "Is he going to be all right?"

"Yeah." Zhane smiled at her reassuringly. "He'll be fine, Ash."

* * *

"Can I come in?" Andros stood still in her doorway, his eyes cast down towards the floor.

"Sure." She watched him through narrowed eyes. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine," he replied, not quite meeting her eyes. "I'm just... We're doing the best that we can, and if that isn't good enough for the Eltarans, I wish they'd do something about it themselves."

"Oh." She just stared at him for a moment, watching him let out a deep breath after venting. "If it makes you feel any better, I know how you feel. Dark Spectre couldn't possibly make a mistake."

Andros laughed dryly, and stepped closer to her. "Would you like to get out of here for a little while?" he offered hesitantly. "I could show you around Angel Grove."

"I've seen a lot of it already," Astronema informed him, feeling a twinge of guilt when his face fell. "Besides, aren't I confined to the Megaship?"

"I guess so," he admitted reluctantly. "Is there anything you'd like to do instead?"

"Not really." She sighed and rearranged her legs more comfortably. "Look, you don't have to be here. Go have fun with your girlfriend."

"You're my _sister,_" Andros said forcefully, a wounded look on his face as he stared at her. "I've spent almost my entire life wondering what happened to you. I want to be here with you."

She was beginning to believe him. Astronema wasn't sure whether that should make her uneasy or not. "Andros..."

It took her several minutes to decide how to continue. "You asked me if I trusted you," she said slowly. "I don't know yet. It's only been a few days that I've been here. That's not long enough to undo everything I've believed my entire life."

"Right." He nodded his head slowly, letting out a deep breath. "We've got all the time in the world now," he told her with a small smile. "I'll wait."

She could tell that she'd hurt him. Astronema felt a twinge of guilt and pushed it away quickly. It was completely unreasonable of him to expect that she could just become the Karone that he thought he knew.

"Tell me again," she said suddenly. "What were your--our--parents like?"

His memories were clearer than her hazy dream images, but as he talked she thought they became a little clearer. Andros smiled a little as he talked, though his eyes were sad. She just listened, praying that just maybe she would find her answers here.

* * *

"You busy?"

Ashley looked up when Zhane popped up out of nowhere. "Not really."

"Good." He grinned at her. "Andros is with Astronema, and I'm bored. Go somewhere with me?"

"Um... sure." She gulped down the last of her juice and dabbed at her mouth with a napkin. "Where?"

"Wherever." He shrugged his shoulders and leaned over to steal a slice of apple from her plate. "These are good. What are they called?"

"Apples." She laughed when he grabbed another one, shoving the last one into her mouth before he could take it. "Where do you want to go?"

"Simudeck," he said after a pause. "Swimming sound good?"

"I'll meet you there," she agreed, and hurried to her room to change. Zhane had already started up a program when she arrived, and she paused for a moment, just staring at the place she found herself in. "Wow."

"I'll show you the real one sometime," Zhane remarked, following her amazed stare. "It's where I learned to swim back home."

"It's beautiful," she breathed, drinking in the natural beauty all around her. The grass beneath her feet was soft and a brilliant green, the pool of clear water that Zhane stood waist-deep in appearing almost out of nowhere.

She paused at the edge of the grass and then just jumped in, yelping in shock at the cold chill of the water. Zhane splashed her with a laugh, and she glared at him.

"It's freezing!" she exclaimed. "How can you stand it?"

"Give it a few minutes." He shrugged his shoulders while she hugged her arms to her chest and shivered. "You'll warm up."

She stuck her tongue out at him, admitting to herself reluctantly that her body was already adjusting to the temperature. Zhane grinned and dunked his head beneath the water, floating over towards her.

"So," he began casually, "how was your date?"

She smiled and shook her head. Andros had told her already how Zhane had tried to work the details of the night before out of him. "You'll have to do better than that."

"Aww, come on," he whined. "What's the big secret?"

Ashley rolled her eyes. "I don't kiss and tell."

He smirked. "So you did kiss him, then?"

She hadn't meant to say that. Ashley glared at him and sighed. "Yes, we kissed. Happy?"

"Tell me what happened and I'll tell you one of my stories," he offered, and she splashed him.

"Why do you care so much?" she demanded, and then reconsidered. "Fine. You go first."

"Hmm..." Zhane slid smoothly beneath the water and flipped himself around. "It took him forever to get the hang of his glider," he told her when he emerged. "He had a horrible sense of balance. And of right and left. And sometimes of up and down."

Ashley couldn't help giggling. "Seriously?"

"Would I lie to you?" He smirked when she considered that for a few moments. "For awhile, he'd fall on his face while the thing was still."

She bit her lip to keep from smiling too much. "I can't see it," she complained. "He's so..."

"He's not really the same person," Zhane agreed. "But it's a true story."

"What was he like then?" she asked curiously.

Zhane swam past her on his back. "Your turn."

Ashley rolled her eyes and realized that she wasn't cold anymore. "Nothing happened," she told him, as she stepped towards the deeper water. "He was a little nervous, but it was fine. He can't use chopsticks," she added with a grin. "It's cute."

"You're lying." Zhane narrowed his eyes at her suspiciously. "How bad was it really?"

"It wasn't bad," Ashley said firmly. "I had fun."

He grumbled something under his breath, and she grinned to herself. She wasn't planning on telling a soul how awkward that date had really been--though she had no qualms about teasing Andros every now and then.

"What was he like?" she asked Zhane again. She rolled onto her back with a sigh, cool water flowing across her neck. "Totally different?"

"Yeah." The Silver Ranger shook water out of his face, studying her thoughtfully. "The reasons why only Andros has the right to tell you," he said finally.

"Most of it I don't know for sure, anyway. Lucky guess," he muttered darkly.

Ashley bit her lip as she nodded, uneasy as she flipped over onto her front. She _really_ didn't like the sound of that, but Zhane was right. She shouldn't be digging around into Andros's life anymore than Zhane should be betraying his best friend by telling her.

"I'm not meaning to pry," she said abruptly, and straightened up, treading water. "I just want to... know him."

"He'll tell you when he's ready," Zhane said softly. "But when he does, don't try to fix it--because you can't."

His blue eyes blazed into hers determinedly, refusing to let her look away. Ashley held his gaze for what felt like forever, as her eyes dropped back down wondering if he'd brought her here just to say that. Slowly, she nodded her head, sighing as she stared into the water.

"I won't ask him anything, then," she murmured softly, surprised when Zhane shook his head at her.

"I didn't mean that," he said quickly. "Just that you can't make it okay."

"Oh." Ashley wasn't quite sure how to answer that. Tentatively, she asked, "Is that what you tried to do, then?"

"At first." Zhane ran a hand through his hair, frowning at some memory. "We all did..."

"Your team?" she ventured, not quite sure who he meant.

He nodded. "Things might not have been so bad if we'd handled that better," he sighed. "But Andros wound up very... distrustful of Reya, and Aerynn and Leyton were too much like her."

"Oh," she said again, hardly noticing when he dumped a handful of water on her head.

"I'm not trying to discourage you," he added. "I'm just saying that it's not easy to watch someone you love hurt and not be able to take it away."

"I'll remember that," Ashley said softly, suddenly feeling like she could cry. Impulsively, she swam forward to hug him, sliding her arms around his neck to squeeze him hard. "Thanks."

"He's my brother," Zhane told her seriously.

"I know," she murmured, and grinned suddenly. "Have you told him you're dating his sister yet?"

Zhane shifted uncomfortably. "I'm not exactly _dating_ her..."

"That's a no, then?"

"I'm still deciding the best way to tell him," he muttered. "I'm thinking me on the Megaship and him back on KO-35."

Ashley rolled her eyes. "How do you know he won't be fine with it?"

"Because he's got eleven years worth of overprotective big brother urges to use up," he retorted. "Maybe we'll get married and just let him assume that we like each other."

"You're crazy." She couldn't help giggling when he splashed water at her, kicking her feet to send a spray of water towards him.

"Hey!" he sputtered. "What was that for?"

"You know you deserved it," another voice broke in, and Ashley whirled around to see Andros staring down at them, Astronema standing at his side. "What are you doing?"

"Swimming, what does it look like?" Ashley swam a little closer to the sides. "Come on, join us."

"That's all right," Andros said quickly, but Astronema gave her a curious stare.

"Is that what you're supposed to wear for this?"

"I guess so..." Ashley glanced down at her two-piece swimsuit with a frown. "A lot of swimsuits are just one piece, if you'd like that better," she added.

Astronema stared at her hard for a moment before glancing down at herself. Ashley blinked in surprise as the other girl was suddenly wearing a matching suit, with the notable exception of color--Ashley wore yellow and Astronema's suit was a pale lavender.

"You sure you don't want to jump in?" She shot Andros a pleading look as Astronema dipped a careful toe in the water. "You can swim, can't you?"

"I'd rather not," he muttered, and took a seat next to Astronema, who had seemingly decided that she preferred dangling her legs into the pool to actually swimming.

"Please?" She pouted at him, but he shook his head quickly.

"You really should get in here," Zhane spoke up, smirking at Andros. "You owe her for being too nice to tell me what really happened last night."

"Shut up." Andros glared at him, but Ashley didn't miss his rather obvious look of relief.

His back to Andros, Zhane winked at her. Ashley hid a smile as the Silver Ranger edged closer to the edge of the pool. Suspicion didn't cross Andros's face until Zhane had a firm grasp on his hand. Laughing, Ashley jumped forward as her boyfriend tumbled into the water, throwing her arms around his neck as he straightened up.

"Hi," she murmured, kissing him on the cheek. "I missed you."

The murderous glare Andros had trained firmly on Zhane faded slightly, a reluctant smile replacing it. "Hi," he said quietly, pushing his drenched hair out of his eyes.

"You're not blond anymore," she noted with a disappointed pout, toying gently with the ends of his hair. "You're cute with your stripes."

He laughed, looking at her with a hint of surprise written across his face. "You really think so?"

"Of course I do." She had to laugh when he couldn't keep his hair in one place, reaching up to pull the elastic out of her hair. "Here."

"Sweet enough to make you sick," Zhane commented loudly to Astronema, who just sat there watching them all in amusement.

Andros glowered at him, and Ashley grinned as Zhane quickly retreated to the other end of the pool. There was no mistaking the very vengeful gleam in her boyfriend's eyes as he took a few steps closer to the cornered Silver Ranger. Ashley laughed at the look on Zhane's face, and settled back to enjoy a highly entertaining sparring match.


	18. Chapter 18

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the Power Rangers.

**Chapter 18**

This was quickly becoming an irritating way to start the morning. Andros grit his teeth together as the cold water rolled off of his skin, feeling heat creep back up his cheeks as his mind flashed back to his dream. _No,_ he told himself firmly, guilty. He shouldn't be thinking about Ashley like that.

He was more or less certain that Ashley didn't want him thinking about her like that, and no matter what his body was telling him, Andros knew that sex wasn't something that he could handle. At least not without a thoroughly undesirable combination of panic and trepidation, though he didn't know about Ashley. He could hardly kiss her without tensing up, but he liked the feel of her lips on his a little bit more each time, and whenever she put her arms around him...

Andros snapped himself out of his daydream and quickly finished showering. Dressing in typical Earth clothes for once, he tossed the uniform he'd slept in into the growing pile of dirty clothes in the corner. Ashley had asked him to meet her at ten, at her house. He was too anxious to wait another four hours before getting ready.

He wouldn't do anything wrong this time, Andros promised himself. He wouldn't make himself look like an idiot again. His face flushed red at the memory of their date three nights ago. Kiss or no kiss, he couldn't embarrass himself that badly again and still be able to look her in the eye.

Andros sighed and sat down on his bed to pull on his shoes and socks. He slid a hand into his pocket, checking to be sure that he had money this time. Zhane had advised him that it wouldn't hurt to bring a small token gift, something like flowers or candy, or the most inexpensive, least tacky piece of jewelry that he could find.

He didn't have a clue when it came to jewelry, and he wasn't sure what kind of candy Ashley liked. It had taken him hours the night before to think of the right flowers, but just as he'd been dozing off he had remembered suddenly the decor in her bedroom.

Sunflowers. He only hoped that they were enough to make up for letting her down the other night. Andros pulled his hair back and stood, straightening the hem of his shirt. Four hours was plenty of time to find some flowers.

* * *

"Morning, Mom..." Ashley yawned as she padded into the kitchen still in her pajamas. "Do I smell pancakes?"

"No." Lisa turned slightly away from the stove and gestured towards the plate on the countertop. "You smell chocolate chip pancakes."

"Even better." Ashley grinned and helped herself to two, then paused. "Is Jeff up yet?"

"Eight o'clock on a Saturday?"

Ashley took one more. "I just wanted to be sure."

"Speaking of being up early..." Lisa turned the rest of the way around and fixed Ashley with a knowing look. "What are you up to?"

"I... nothing really." Ashley shrugged and went to dig the syrup out of the refrigerator. "Andros is meeting me here in two hours. We're going on a picnic."

Lisa raised an eyebrow. "Since when do you go on picnics?"

"Since I met Andros?" Ashley tried, and sighed. "I just thought it'd be easier to talk to him somewhere where there weren't so many people. I think he's... uncomfortable when there's too many people around."

Her mother looked at her skeptically. "So you two are just going to go off alone somewhere?"

"If we were going to have sex, we would have done it on the Megaship already," Ashley said without thinking. "Which we haven't," she added quickly. "And if we did, we'd be careful."

Lisa considered that for a few minutes while Ashley drowned her pancakes in maple syrup and powdered sugar. "Well," she remarked finally, "I have to say that I'm glad to hear that. But Ashley... I don't want to see you making a mistake with this boy."

"Why don't you like Andros?" Ashley asked suddenly, setting her fork back down. "You've always been fine with all the other guys. You never cared how they dressed."

Lisa eyed her strangely. "Andros can wear whatever he likes."

"So it's not his hair?"

"Of course not." Her mother looked surprised that she would even ask. "Ashley, believe me when I say I have nothing against Andros."

"Then what _is_ it?" she demanded. "When you saw us together in my room that day, you... I don't know."

"Trust me, I would have been worse if that had been anyone else," Lisa said wryly. "Ashley, why are you with him?"

"Because I want to be," she answered immediately, swirling her fork around in syrup. "He's sweet and he's caring, and he's just so... _cute._ He's... not really from around here," Ashley added vaguely, "and he's not used to it, so everything's new to him and he gets this look on his face whenever we try to explain..."

"And when you say he's _not really from around here,_ you mean..."

"Um." Ashley swallowed a large mouthful of chocolate. "Well..."

"Ashley."

She squirmed slightly in her seat, and let out a sigh. "I told you how we went into space, right?"

"That boy is from outer space?" Lisa looked only mildly surprised, and Ashley wondered not for the first time how much her mom knew about her life.

"He's human," she assured her mother. "From a... a space colony. KO-35."

"Ah." Lisa turned off the stove and dumped the empty batter bowl into the dishwasher before she spoke again. "I see."

Ashley sighed and grabbed one more pancake to mop up all the extra syrup. "I really like him, Mom," she said quietly. "He--he's different than anyone I've ever met before."

"Be careful, Ashley," was all her mother said. "I've got to get to work, and you should start getting ready for your picnic."

* * *

Andros knocked on Ashley's door and stepped back to wait for someone to answer. He didn't have to wait long; the door swung open a few seconds later, and he found himself the recipient of a friendly glare.

"You're late," Ashley informed him. "You're ten minutes late."

"Oh." Sheepishly, he glanced down at his shoes. "I'm sorry."

She giggled and pulled him into a hug before he really understood what was happening, pillowing her head on his shoulder. "Don't be. I was just kidding," she said. "It took longer than I thought it would to make a couple of sandwiches."

"Oh," he said again, suddenly remembering the flowers. "I have something for you."

Her slightly quizzical expression cleared when he shyly offered her the bouquet, her eyes lighting up as she took them from his hand. "They're beautiful," she said softly, brushing her fingers lightly over the petals. "Thank you, Andros."

Her smile did the oddest things to his stomach, and he swallowed hard. "You're welcome," he managed to say without stuttering. He let out a deep breath as he rubbed his sweaty palms against his jeans. "So, where are we going?"

Ashley smiled mysteriously and gestured towards two coolers that sat near the door. "Here's my keys," she told him. "Will you put these in my car while I get these flowers into some water?"

He nodded, belatedly realizing that he had no clue which of the two cars was hers. Andros opened his mouth to call after her, suddenly laughing softly to himself. Of course it would be the yellow one.

He set the two coolers on the floor of the backseat, a frown crossing his face as he studied the vehicle. It closely resembled the hovercars that he was used to, but Ashley's car looked rather old, and he was sure he saw some chips in the paint...

"Let's get going," she said brightly, coming up behind him. "Hop in."

Andros stared at the car dubiously. "Are you sure this is safe?"

"Very safe," she promised, giving his arm a reassuring touch. "I've never even gotten a parking ticket."

"Parking ticket?" he repeated, his brow furrowed in confusion.

Ashley thought for a moment before shrugging her shoulders, apparently at a loss for an explanation. "Never mind," she said finally. "I swear I'm a good driver."

Andros followed her into the car, though not without reservations. Fortunately, his fears were unfounded. Ashley drove smoothly the entire way of the short drive, steering sharply only to avoid crashing into a bright green car that for some reason was without a roof. From the look on her face, Andros assumed that the near-accident was the fault of the other driver.

"I've never been in an accident, either," she added with a slight grin, her eyes flickering towards him for a split second. "Just don't get into a car with me on the highways, I'm not used to them yet."

Andros didn't bother to ask what she meant. He'd just take her word for it.

Ashley pulled up to a curb and switched off the motor. Andros glanced past her out the window, frowning at the large crowd he saw gathered around not far from the car.

"We can go a long way from them if you want," Ashley said softly, one of her hands lightly brushing his. "I know a good spot."

He hesitated for a moment, briefly thinking back to the restaurant. A secluded spot was an appealing idea, and she smiled when he told her so. They each took a cooler and he followed Ashley across the grass to a shady patch of grass far enough away from all other people that Andros didn't feel the hairs on his neck prickle in warning.

"I meant to bring a blanket," Ashley said suddenly, wrinkling her nose as she set down the cooler. He watched her kneel, her hands feeling the ground carefully. "Oh well... the ground is dry. You don't mind grass stains, do you?"

He just shook his head and joined her on the grass. Ashley scooted closer to him, laughing as the breeze teased her hair. Suddenly remembering Zhane pushing him into the pool, Andros reached up to work free the hair band that held his ponytail in place. Ashley took the red elastic from him with a grin that told him she was thinking about that too.

"I hope you're hungry," she said, as she opened the red cooler. "I think I put the water in the green one... oh, wait, no. It's here." She handed him a bottle and took one for herself.

"There's fruit salad in here too, and the sandwiches are in the one you have. There were supposed to be cookies, but I sort of forgot about them... and since I left out half the flour, they weren't really salvageable." A sheepish grin touched her face. "I can cook, but my baking might kill you."

Andros laughed, helping himself to a sandwich before he passed the cooler to her. "It can't be any worse than Zhane's cooking," he assured her. "He once tried to make me eat a mixture of raw eggs and chunks of ham."

Ashley wrinkled her nose at him. "Well, now I'm not hungry," she complained, but she didn't look particularly upset about it. Andros saw her take a sandwich, so he decided he didn't need to worry about ruining her appetite.

They ate in silence for awhile, but this time it was a comfortable, easy quiet. He didn't feel the same pressure to talk that he had at the restaurant, and it made it far easier to be around her. Besides that, he had some vague idea of what he was supposed to _do_ on a date now, and Ashley didn't really seem to care whether he was doing it right or not.

Not that he didn't feel a need to impress her. He did, and he'd gotten the flowers to make an effort at it. He'd just settle for not screwing up too badly.

"You look nice like that," he told her softly, and he would have sworn that he saw her blush.

"Thanks." Ashley smiled at him before she glanced down at herself, and he shook his head.

"I meant it," he insisted. Her t-shirt was plain yellow and her jean shorts were loose-fitting and comfortable, but as she sat there with him, her face so relaxed and carefree, he couldn't have cared less what she was wearing. "You look happy."

"I am happy," she agreed with a soft laugh. "You make me happy."

Andros set his food down, for a few minutes just savoring those words. _You make me happy._ He couldn't remember anyone ever saying anything at all like that to him before, and he couldn't help the smile that he felt split his face.

"You make me happy, too," Andros said quietly, surprised at the blush he saw spread across her cheeks. He couldn't deny that he was pleased, though, and he leaned closer to kiss her.

She grinned at him as he drew away, and he squirmed self-consciously under her sudden scrutiny. _This_ was what made him uncomfortable, having her stare at him and not knowing whether it was because of something he'd done or not done, or just because she felt like it. He had to admit that it was flattering to have her stare at him for no reason, at least some of the time, and so he just kept his mouth shut and waited.

"It's nice out here," she said finally, and he decided the change of topic meant that she'd been watching him just because she wanted to.

"It is," he agreed, when a few minutes of silence stretched by. "I like this."

"We could come back sometime," she suggested. "Have another picnic, or we could play volleyball and go swimming."

"No," he said firmly, speaking without thinking. "No swimming."

"You didn't want to the other day, either," Ashley said, looking him over thoughtfully. She hesitated, and he saw her try and catch his eye. "Can I ask why?"

"If you want to," Andros sighed, his gaze fixed firmly on his lap.

He thought she almost smiled at his answer. "Why?"

"I--I have scars," he muttered, knowing that he might as well be honest with her.

"Oh." A sad sort of look crept across her face, but when he finally looked up at her, she didn't seem disgusted or repulsed. He almost relaxed before he realized that she could very well change her mind once she saw how bad the damage was.

"You don't want people to see?" she ventured a few seconds later. "Is that it?"

"Yes," he said quietly, still studying the grass stains on his knees. "That's right."

"Hey," Ashley murmured, reaching out to tap his knee. "Look at me for a minute."

Reluctantly, his eyes flickered up towards hers. He was astounded to see her smile at him, too surprised to move away when she leaned over to touch her lips to his.

"I don't care," she told him softly, her eyes bright with sincerity. "It's not important."

"It's... not?" Andros studied her face for any sign that she wasn't being totally honest with him, and found none. "You don't know that."

"Then show me." The challenge in her voice was unmistakable, and he crossed his arms over his chest defensively.

"I..."

"I didn't mean now," Ashley said, her fingers brushing his cheek lightly. "Not if you don't want to."

She looked him up and down with a faint smile on her face, a gleam in her eye that had blood suffusing his cheeks. "But you're going to have a hard time _ever_ convincing me that you're ugly," she informed him, her grin widening. "Trust me."

He did trust her, probably dangerously so. Something inside of him felt instinctively that she would never hurt him, yet the closer he felt himself growing towards her, the more vulnerable he felt himself becoming. Knowing that he could overpower her if the need be was only a small reassurance. With the right words, she could tear him apart just as quickly as Darkonda could with his blade.

"Andros?" Ashley touched his shoulder, and he flinched away from her before his thoughts cleared. She drew her hand away, watching him in concern. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine," he said quickly, forcing a smile. "Just thinking."

"Okay." Ashley nodded, accepting that. She lay down on her back beside them, one arm behind her head as she gazed up at the sky. "Andros?"

Her eyes met his and she smiled at him, the same smile that had made his insides go weak earlier that day. "I'm glad you're here."

Slowly, he reached out for her hand, sliding his fingers between hers. Her palm was smoother than his own, and the softness of her skin brought a smile to his face. Somehow, he knew that she meant the words with all her heart, and he was almost able to convince himself that she meant everything else that she'd said just as much. Almost.


	19. Chapter 19

**Disclaimer:** Still don't own 'em. Stories not for profit.

**Chapter 19**

_Andros heard himself scream and clenched his fists, waiting for the next blow with tears of pain smarting in his eyes. Through the haze that clouded his mind, he heard the alarm blare again, and he raised his head hopefully. Darkonda wouldn't ignore that three times._

_He didn't. Andros heard an angry snarl from Darkonda, and then a hand was on his shoulder, dragging him out of the room. A few tears escaped his eyes as Andros stumbled along, struggling just to keep from collapsing. His back burned with each step he took on shaky legs. He swiped at his eyes furiously, blinking back the rest of his tears. He knew it was only going to get worse._

_"Computer, what's happening?" Darkonda demanded impatiently._

_"We are being attacked," came the calm reply, and Andros sighed quietly, hoping Darkonda wouldn't notice. _

_The AI sounded so much like Deca... He wondered if the Megaship had managed to get away. Not for the first time, his thoughts drifted to the four humans he had almost gone back for. They showed up sometimes to rescue him in his dreams, but that was all that they were. They would have no clue where to start looking for him, and even if they did, he knew that they would never find him. He would have to save himself this time._

_"I know we're being attacked," Darkonda growled. "Do something about it."_

_"Returning fire," the AI replied. "Enemy spacecraft has taken evasive action."_

_Darkonda swore loudly, and Andros smiled. If he wasn't on the ship as well, he would have enjoyed this. Then he decided he preferred death over slavery and thought that it might not be such a tragedy after all if they were blown to bits._

_"Target hit," the ship's computer announced, and for the first time, Andros caught a glimpse of the ship that they were attacking. It was of Eltaran design, and his heart sank when it took another nearly crippling blow. Some of the Karovans had evacuated to Eltare before it too had fallen..._

_"Target entering hyperspace," the AI announced and Darkonda laughed darkly. Ships stalled in the seconds before entering hyperspace, leaving them virtually unable to defend themselves._

_"Excellent," Darkonda muttered, reaching for the controls to fire himself. _

_Andros swallowed hard as he stared at the ship on the viewing screen. They were so close... He had no choice--he was supposed to save lives. Knowing that this was likely to cost him his own, Andros lunged for Darkonda._

_"Target has entered hyperspace."_

_Andros let out a sigh of relief that was short lived. The ship was safe, but Darkonda was likely to kill him for that. For someone who had decided a moment before that death was better than the life he had now, he was very, very scared to die._

He lurched up in bed with a scream, panting and sweaty as he fell back against the pillows. His heart still racing, Andros ran a hand through his damp hair and drew his knees up close to his chest. What he wouldn't give to sleep through one night.

Exhaling slowly, he uncurled himself and reached over to turn the lights up. He rolled over again to face the wall, unable to keep himself from remembering. Darkonda hadn't had the chance to do anything but growl before he'd shoved Andros off of the Bridge to fix a malfunction elsewhere on the ship. Of course, it had only been a delay...

He bit his lip with a sigh. It had eventually worked out in his favor--he'd been only half-conscious when Darkonda had handed him over to Divatox, and she'd shoved him into a room with only a few Piranhatrons to guard him. A few hours of sleep had replenished his strength enough for him to overpower them, and he'd thrown himself into the nearest escape pod without a backwards glance.

And probably just in time--from what he'd overheard Divatox say to Rygog, she'd had no intentions of giving him back. The thought of Divatox and Darkonda fighting over who owned him was enough to make his stomach churn, and he tried to just be thankful that he'd gotten away when he had.

Andros closed his eyes, forcing himself to think of something else. That part of his life was over, and he hated to dwell on it--nothing productive ever came from it. It only made him feel sorry for himself, or bring back the overwhelming shame and pain that he doubted would ever truly fade. Accepting what had happened didn't make it any less painful to remember, and it was best that he just didn't think about it.

Except that he couldn't seem to help it, and he thought of Ashley with a sinking heart. Sooner or later, he knew that she was going to ask him some questions that he wouldn't want to answer. She already had. He deplored the idea of lying to her only slightly more than refusing to answer, but he couldn't be certain that he would feel the same with Ashley watching him expectantly, waiting for an answer.

He wondered what Ashley would think of him if--_when,_ he corrected himself firmly--she knew the entire truth. He'd never told a soul the entire story of his life, but if he intended to have a relationship with her, then he was going to have to be honest with her. He was almost sure that he could do that.

_No._ Andros closed his eyes and ran a hand through his sweaty hair. It wasn't fair to Ashley to lie to her, not when she'd promised him from the beginning that whatever he could give was enough. He either could do this or he couldn't, and if he couldn't, then he shouldn't have let things get this far. Maybe he didn't have to tell her _now_, but if she'd promised not to push him, then the least he owed her in return was to try as hard as he could to learn to trust her.

* * *

_Colors swirled around in circles, all blurring together as the ball spun faster. She giggled happily at the sight, her outstretched hands falling back as she lost herself in just watching._

_Too late she realized that her concentration had slipped, and the ball drifted away. Andros ran after it while she stayed crouched on the ground, watching him disappear into the trees._

_He laughed and she thought she saw him turn around. Movement coming towards her from the side had her turning towards it--and she screamed. Something unhuman charged at her, snatching her up before she could run. She kicked, clawing at it with her fingers. It didn't notice, and she shouted out desperately for the only person who could hear her._

_"ANDROS!" _

_For a moment, she didn't hear a thing. She screamed his name again and then again, and just as she was starting to lose hope that he would come after her, she heard his voice._

_"Karone?" _

Astronema's eyes snapped open. _Karone..._ The name echoed in her mind, unfading.

_"Are you Karone?"_ Andros had asked her. She bit her lip, on the verge of finding her answer. This was a memory; she was sure of it. Not even the Rangers could have created this--and it felt oddly familiar...

She sat up and pushed her long hair back from her face. Shoving back the covers, she dressed quickly and tiptoed out of the room. She wasn't quite sure of the time, but Deca had turned the hall lights low, and the ship was eerily silent. Astronema headed for the Bridge, wondering what the odds were that Deca would let her in. Andros had tried to convince his teammates to give her access to the entire ship, but she doubted he'd been successful.

She really couldn't blame his teammates for not trusting him. It made her question his judgement that he would trust her so easily, but if their places had been reversed, if Ecliptor hadn't told her time and again that her brother was dead by the Red Ranger's hand... Andros must have been desperate to find the last living member of his family.

Strangely, Deca didn't lock her out of the databases, and she sat there for hours just pouring through all the information she could find. From the reports detailing their kidnapping to vague rumors that placed her all over the universe, Andros had analyzed everything tirelessly. He'd searched for her endlessly these last five years, and Astronema fought back a wave of emotion. It was only clouding her mind, and she needed to make this decision rationally.

But she couldn't, and now she understood why Andros had taken a chance. What she wasn't sure of was why his teammates had, but that didn't concern her. She knew now why she hadn't left him to die, why she had waited two weeks on the Megaship. Something in her had recognized him for who he was--not the Red Ranger, not her enemy, but her brother.

Six minutes older, he'd said he was. She hadn't known that. Astronema closed her eyes, straining to remember anything besides the hazy images she had seen in her dreams. This wasn't how it was supposed to be, she thought, and slammed one fist angrily against the console.

"We were supposed to grow up together," she murmured. "Andros..."

Tears stung her eyes, and she blinked them away. Numbly, she raised one hand to brush at her eyelids, slowly releasing a shaky breath. Her features hardening, she forced back her tears. She had no time to waste on tears. Darkonda would pay for what he had done. She would see to it.

* * *

_His laughter echoed all around her as he slid into the cool water, ripples running across the surface as he pushed forward to join her. She shrieked when he cupped water in his hands and let it all trickle down the back of her neck, flinging a handful of water into his face as revenge._

_Sputtering, he wrinkled his nose at her. She just giggled and splashed him again, jumping backwards out of his reach. That didn't stop him for long, and he chased after her, splashing water at her as he went._

_"Not fair!" She pouted at him when he caught her square in the face, glaring at him through a curtain of wet hair. "You started it!"_

_He smiled at her innocently and laughed, reaching to pull her into his arms. She went willingly, closing her eyes as she tucked her head against his neck. He jumped in surprise when her lips touched his skin and she grinned, very slowly trailing her kisses up his neck._

_"Ash..." His fingers tightened on her shoulders, and she giggled. "Look at me."_

_She had just stepped out of his arms when he pulled her back to him, his lips meeting hers. Ashley closed her eyes as the kiss deepened, her arms tightening around his neck as his teeth nipped gently at her bottom lip. She started in surprise when he turned his head to kiss her cheek, her jaw, his lips lightly touching her eyebrows._

_She smiled at his caresses, leaning in to kiss him again. "I love you."_

_A slightly smug look touched his face, fading as he enfolded her completely in his arms. "I love you too..."_

Ashley opened her eyes slowly, still half-lost in her dream. Yawning, she rolled over onto her stomach and buried her face into her pillow, trying in vain to keep the vision from fading away. It was lost, and she let out a sigh. It had been such a good dream, too... Okay, so almost anything that had to do with Andros was good, and she was almost positive that Andros had been there.

She arched her back, stretching, rolling over again when that didn't seem to make her any more comfortable. Ashley felt the strangest urge to go find Andros, quashing it when she realized what time it was. He was definitely asleep, and she doubted he'd appreciate her barging into his room just because she couldn't sleep.

Ashley groaned when she turned over another time. She closed her eyes and Andros's face popped up into her mind, bringing a smile to her lips. She remembered how he'd looked on their picnic a few days before, his hair loose and framing his face while he smiled at her... A dreamy sigh passed through her lips, and she finally relaxed.

She didn't know what it was about him that made her feel warm all over. She just couldn't help wanting to fling her arms around his neck and squeeze him whenever he walked into the room, just wanting to hold him and have him hold her.

Her smile faded some. Andros wasn't nearly as affectionate as she was, and she couldn't pretend that it didn't bother her just a little. He never protested anything that she did, but he was rarely ever the one to kiss her first. She knew he wasn't used to being in a relationship, and she knew that he was uncomfortable sometimes, but... Ashley couldn't keep from wishing that he would open up just a little more.

She bit her lip as she hid her face against the pillow. It was a selfish wish and she knew it. She'd told him that she wasn't expecting more than he could give, and she wasn't--she was just wanting it, and somehow that made her feel worse. She loved him and she shouldn't... Ashley opened one eye. She _loved_ him?

Ashley closed her eyes again and tried to think straight. _Did_ she love Andros? Of course she did, she realized instantly--she loved all her friends, and that didn't help her any. Andros was definitely more than a friend, but how much more? And how was she supposed to tell him? She didn't want to scare him off, and she couldn't help thinking that telling him she'd fallen in love with him would be a good way to do that.

Groaning, she drew the covers up over her head. She'd never had this problem before. Everyone else had wanted to hear those words as much as she'd wanted to say them, and until they fell out of love, Ashley would feel like she was floating on air. She didn't have that feeling with Andros.

Not that she wasn't happy with him--she was, and almost completely. She just felt... grounded, like she was seeing who he really was instead of who she thought he was. Ashley sighed. That was probably a good thing, especially with Andros, but she couldn't shake the feeling that she was missing something.

She suddenly felt very tired. Ashley closed her eyes and tried to fall asleep, but Andros kept drifting through her mind. When she finally managed to doze off, her dreams were filled with him standing in front of her, that smile on his face. He was talking to her but she wasn't listening, too lost in just watching him. He didn't seem to care and hugged her tight, and somehow that made everything all right.


	20. Chapter 20

**Disclaimer:** The Power Rangers aren't mine.

**Chapter 20**

"Can I talk to you?"

Andros paused in his work and turned his chair around, a smile forming on his face when Ashley stepped onto the Bridge. "Sure."

"I... okay," Ashley sighed, and slid into her seat. "Look, Andros..."

Her voice trailed off, and he frowned when he got a clear look at her face. "Is something wrong?" he ventured tentatively, reaching out to touch her hand. "Ashley?"

"No, nothing's _wrong_, exactly..." Ashley looked down at their clasped hands, uncertainly flickering across her face. "I had this dream last night, and that's not really important, but I... it made me think about some things."

"Oh..." Andros wasn't sure what else to say. His stomach clenched anxiously at her words, though he wasn't quite sure why. "What kind of things?"

She hesitated. "Us, mostly." Her eyes still on their entwined fingers, Ashley bit her lip. "Andros, I have to ask. Do you see us having a future together, or are we just... having fun right now?"

"I..." He stared at his lap for a moment, then swallowed and pulled his hand out of hers. "Can I think for a minute?"

"Sure." There was a tenseness to her voice that made him think that had been the wrong thing to say, but he didn't know what else to do.

"I told you," he began slowly, still desperately trying to sort out his thoughts, "that you made me happy. I meant it, Ash."

She smiled at that, and he allowed himself to relax as he searched for the right words. "I can't say what it is about you that I like so much," he added, staring down at his lap. "All I know is that I like being with you, and I... I can't see that changing anytime soon."

Andros looked up at her slowly, unable to read her emotions from her expression. "I don't know how else to answer," he said quietly. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," she answered, surprising him as she leaned over and took his hand again. "That was the right answer."

"Was it?" He studied her expression for a moment longer, and shook his head. "You wanted me to say something else."

"I wanted you to be honest with me," she told him, and sighed. Her fingers squeezed his gently, and she offered him a small smile. "I can't ask for more than that."

He didn't smile back. "Then what's wrong?"

"Nothing," she said firmly. "Nothing to do with you."

"Ashley," he said quietly. "What's wrong?"

"It's just that..." She fidgeted with her hands, letting out another sigh. "You seem a little distant sometimes."

"Oh." Stung, he stared at the floor, his head bowed low.

"That came out wrong," Ashley muttered. She touched his knee, prodding him until he looked at her. "I didn't mean for it to sound that way."

"What did you mean, then?" he asked, eyes still trained downward.

"I didn't mean for it to sound like it was a--a reflection on you," she said quietly. "I feel like I'm wanting more than you are, and I really hate that."

"W--what do you mean?" he asked nervously, pulling away from her. "Sex?"

"No!" Ashley said quickly, and strongly enough that he believed her.

"Then what?" he wanted to know, feeling some of the tension leave him. "Just tell me."

"I--" A sheepish look crossed her face as she admitted, "I want--I want you to hug me."

Startled, he looked up at her in surprise. "That's all?"

Blushing, she nodded her head slowly. Andros stood and took her hands, pulling her to her feet and into his arms. She squeezed him tight and he just held onto her, stroking her hair gently with one hand.

"Is this better?" he murmured into her ear, and felt her sigh.

"I didn't want to have to ask you," she whispered, and he tightened his arms around her shoulders.

"I'm sorry," he said quietly. "I didn't know you wanted me to."

"Stop saying that." Her breath was hot on his neck as she spoke, and he was startled at how nice that felt. "You have nothing to be sorry for."

"I really didn't know you wanted me to," he told her, loosening his hold so he could see her face. "Honestly, I'm not really sure what I'm supposed to do."

Ashley looked away, but not before he'd glimpsed the frustration on her face. "Andros... you're not _supposed_ to do anything. Don't, unless you want to or you're comfortable with doing it."

"But how much are _you_ comfortable with me doing?" He blurted out the question before he thought better of it, and Ashley's head turned back towards his.

"What?"

"I won't do anything that I don't have your permission for," he explained quietly. "I don't know how much is too much."

"Andros..." Ashley chewed on her lower lip for a moment, then stepped forward and hugged him again. "Is that why you never kiss me?"

He felt himself blush as he nodded. "I didn't want to ask every time."

"What made you think that you had to?"

"I don't know," he muttered, and felt Ashley hold him a little closer.

"You're so sweet," she murmured. "And you don't have to ask."

"But--" he started.

Ashley cut him off with a shake of her head. "Andros, if I said no, would you stop?"

"Of course I would." He blinked at her, amazed and a little hurt that she would even ask.

"Then you have nothing to worry about." She kissed his cheek and tucked her head against his neck. "Really. I don't think you doing something I don't like is a problem that we have, all right?"

"Does that mean I can kiss you right now?"

Ashley sighed, but she was smiling. "What did I just tell you?"

He decided that meant it was all right, and leaned in to press his lips to hers. Ashley stepped closer, holding him a little tighter. He closed his eyes as she crushed her mouth to his, her body warm against his. Andros groaned as still-unfamiliar feelings ran through him, tingling all over when she pulled back.

Ashley kept her arms draped around his shoulders, and he tilted his forehead against hers, smiling at her. "So it's okay to kiss you."

She nodded her head. "Andros, you're just worrying over nothing."

He smiled at her tentatively. "Just promise me you'll never let me do something that you don't want."

"I promise," she murmured, and rubbed his shoulders gently. "Can I ask you something?"

Andros nodded. "Anything."

"Why are you so worried about this?" she wanted to know, and he bit his lip.

"No reason," he mumbled, lowering his eyes. "I--I've just never done this before. I don't want to ruin it."

Her face softened as he wrapped her in his arms again, and he squeezed his eyes shut tight. That was only half the truth, and he suspected that she knew his answer hadn't been entirely honest. He loathed himself for it--he just didn't know how he was supposed to tell her.

"Andros?"

Her voice broke into his thoughts, and he tried to relax. "Yeah?"

"I..." Ashley took a deep breath, but whatever she'd wanted to tell him was lost when the Megalift opened up.

Andros looked over his shoulder automatically to see who it was, doing a double take at the young woman who stepped onto the Bridge. Her hair was blond now, and the headband was gone. Chills rippled across his arms as he stared into a face eerily similar to his own, his breath stuck in his throat.

"K--karone?" he stammered, tears prickling his eyes.

She nodded her head slowly, never once taking her eyes off of him. "I remember you," she whispered. "You're my brother."

Ashley touched his shoulder gently. "I'll leave you two alone," she said, smiling at him warmly as he left the Bridge.

Karone took a hesitant step forward, one hand extending towards him. Andros reached out and caught her hand, his fingers squeezing hers hard. He pulled her towards him and wrapped both arms around her. For the first time he could remember, he hugged his sister and she hugged him back, and he suddenly found hope that everything was finally as it should be.

* * *

"This is... wow." Cassie looked around the Simudeck, awed by the mansion even in artificial form. "This was yours?" 

"It would be a slight exaggeration to say that," he admitted, studying a nearby tree with a frown. "This was home to all of the Eltaran Rangers."

"But... there were only six of you. It's still pretty impressive."

It truly was; Cassie didn't think she could see to the corners of the white stone structure. Mansion might have been an understatement, she decided with a grin--this felt more like a palace. There were certainly enough domes and towers for it to be one.

"Five," Arietis corrected her absently. "Five Rangers. I was not one of them at the time."

"Oh." Surprised, she stared at him for a moment. "So you didn't live here?"

"I visited quite often," he told her. "But no, I didn't."

"Oh." He was frowning again, and she laid a hand on his arm with a smile. "So you won't be offended if I say that this is a little, oh I don't know..."

"Pretentious?" he offered, and she nodded with a laugh. "It _was_ well-suited to Tan's tastes."

Cassie didn't bother to keep from smiling. From what little she had seen of the Eltaran, she had no trouble picturing him living a life of luxury here. "How'd he get to be a Ranger, anyway?"

"I should not have said that," Arietis muttered. "He was well deserving of the Power, however... pompous he was at times. Eltare held under siege for nearly a year, with only two of its Rangers alive past the second month. By comparison, KO-35 lasted only three weeks. I don't mean to suggest that Andros and Zhane are unworthy of their positions; they were barely more than children at the time."

"Oh." Cassie wasn't sure what to say for a moment. "It takes more than skill to be a good Ranger," she murmured finally.

"Yes," he agreed. "It does."

Silence hung over them for several minutes after that. Cassie smiled to herself as a soft breeze lifted her hair from her shoulders, trying to picture the world that he had come from. What would it be like, she wondered, if Earth had been more like Eltare or KO-35? If they didn't have to keep their identities a secret?

"You are needed on the Bridge." Deca's voice disrupted the calm, and Cassie's head lifted in alarm.

"What is it?" Arietis inquired.

"Dark Specter has sent an asteroid towards Earth," Deca informed them. "It is on a collision course."

* * *

"What do we do?" Zhane stared out at the viewing screen with a funny feeling in the pit of his stomach. That thing was _big._ "Dark Spectre sent this thing?" 

"He said he'd call it off if Karone was returned to him," Andros said, and held his sister closer protectively. "Out of the question. We need another way."

"Obviously--wait, Karone?" Zhane paused. _"What happened to Astronema?"_

The smile on his friend's face told him everything he needed to know. Zhane ran a hand through his hair as he tried not to smile himself, wondering if maybe he should just tell Andros already. Or he could let Karone do it. Yeah. He'd do that.

"Deca said you wanted to see us?" Cassie and Arietis stepped out of the Megalift, hand in hand.

Zhane looked at them oddly, but the rapidly approaching asteroid seemed more important. "Yeah. Dark Spectre sent that--" He gestured towards the screen. "That thing, and he's not calling it off unless he gets Karone."

"Which he isn't," Andros repeated pointedly. "We're finding another way."

"Megalasers," Cassie suggested.

"Didn't work." Zhane shook his head grimly, his eyes straying to Arietis. "Would your ship work any better?"

"Doubtful." The Phantom Ranger shrugged his shoulders apologetically. "The Astro Megaship has the most powerful offenses of any ship that I've encountered. We would have a better chance of destroying the asteroid on its surface."

"Yes." Andros nodded his head once, and reached for his morpher. "Deca, get everyone onboard. You stay here," he added to Karone. "We'll be back."

She was waiting for them unhappily on the Bridge when they returned half an hour later, unsuccessful. The explosives had hardly scratched the surface, and while Andros fumed quietly, Zhane caught Karone's eye. She smiled at him faintly, then looked away again. He wondered for a moment if he should be worried by that, but was quickly distracted when Andros slammed his fists against the weapons console.

"We might need those," he kidded uneasily. "If you're going to break something, make it flight control."

Andros wasn't amused. "We need another way."

"We'll think of something," Ashley assured him. She touched his shoulder gently, and he seemed to relax some.

"There's not a whole lot of time." TJ cast a worried look at the viewing screen. "Couldn't we..." He trailed off in thought.

"Blast it again?" Carlos suggested. "Maybe if we did it enough..."

"Yeah."

"I don't think that'll work." Cassie sounded skeptical, and Zhane watched TJ glare at Arietis. "It'll take too long."

"It's better than standing around doing nothing," TJ retorted, but was cut off before he could go any further.

"I know a way," Karone spoke up, quiet but determined. "I can get onto the Dark Fortress and reprogram it."

"You'll _what?_" Andros gaped at her in disbelief. "You're not going anywhere!"

Karone's expression darkened visibly, and Zhane almost smiled to see more than just a hint of Astronema. "You can't stop me."

"I didn't mean--I only just found you," Andros burst out. Quietly, he added, "I don't want to lose you again."

"I know." Karone's voice was gentler now, but she was adamant. "But I'm going."

"You can't go. There's other ways," Andros insisted. "You don't need to do this."

"I do." Karone held his gaze for a moment longer before she turned on her heel and strode off of the Bridge.

Andros looked to him helplessly, and Zhane sighed. That pleading look was something he rarely saw on Andros's face, and he couldn't ignore it now. "Go after her," he urged. "See if you can change her mind."

"Are you okay?" Ashley laid her hand on his shoulder, squeezing gently. "I know you two are..."

"I'm fine." He smiled to show appreciation for her concern, but shook his head. "Worry about Andros--she's not going to change her mind."

"I didn't think so, either." Her gaze lowered as she scuffed a toe along the ground, shaking her head with a sigh. "She only just remembered."

"It shouldn't be like this," Zhane agreed heavily, and turned towards the screen again. "We should get back to work."

They'd gotten no closer to finding a solution when Andros returned to the Bridge, alone. He didn't speak for a moment, just watching the asteroid with stony eyes.

"Deca's given her a transmitter," he said finally, his voice far too calm to not be frightening. "She'll keep us informed."

It wasn't until hours later that Zhane realized Andros had known all along that his sister wasn't coming back. His face was cold and collected as they waited quietly, Karone's voice coming back to them every now and then but when the signal was lost, he only closed his eyes with a sigh.

"I shouldn't have let her go back there." His voice was choked with unshed tears.

Zhane stared down at his hands numbly, not knowing what to say. There really wasn't anything he _could _say, and Andros wouldn't hurt any less to hear it.

"The Megazords." TJ gripped Andros's arm, whether to get his attention or to show him support Zhane didn't know. "It's our last chance."

Andros nodded, straightening his shoulders. "Let's go," he said tersely. "We don't have much time left."

The Red Ranger remained in control as the piled into the Megazords, and they were able to push the asteroid out of Earth's way with enough ease that Zhane wondered why they hadn't thought of it sooner. He really wished that they had, he decided, as they stepped back onto the Bridge. Andros's morph vanished as he hung his head forward dejectedly, his face stricken.

"You'll get her back." Cassie was the one that broke the silence, and even her soft voice was too harsh in the quiet.

Andros did nothing to suggest that he'd heard her. Zhane was willing to bet that he hadn't, and let out a quiet sigh when Ashley wrapped her arms around her boyfriend. He wished now more than anything that he'd come clean to Andros weeks ago--if his time with Karone was destined to have been short, he should have made something of it.

* * *

****

**A/N:** **_What has Disney done with my childhood heroes! _**::cries::

Anyway, I'm so sorry that it took this long! You know those chapters that you just hate to write? I'm at that place with all of my stories, but LCWM will be completed and STL updated by this weekend. Chapter 21 will be up much sooner than this one was; it's so much easier to write. Any and all feedback is appreciated.


	21. Chapter 21

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the Power Rangers or any of the movies mentioned in this chapter.

**Chapter 21**

Ashley rapped lightly on Andros's door, unsurprised when he didn't answer. He'd spent much of the last week hiding in his room, coming out occasionally to eat or lead them in battle.

"Andros, open the door," she insisted. "I want to talk to you for a minute."

There was no answer, and she kicked the door in frustration. "Andros!" she yelled. "Let me in!"

He didn't, but he did answer. "Go away, Ashley."

"No." She leaned against the door with a sigh. "If you don't want to talk to me, that's fine, but you've been locked up in your room for days. We're worried about you."

To her surprise, the door opened. Knowing that she might not have another chance, Ashley darted into the room, her heart breaking when she saw him. His locket hanging loose over his shirt, he lay on his side facing her, Karone's picture clutched in his hands.

"Go away," he whispered when she came closer. "I want to be alone."

"You shouldn't have let me in, then," Ashley said softly, and knelt by his side.

"I didn't," he muttered sullenly. "Go away."

"No." Ashley stayed right where she was, crouched on the floor. "Not until I know that you're okay."

"Ashley..." He held the picture frame closer to his chest, and closed his eyes. "Please go."

"Let me stay with you," she pleaded quietly, gently covering his hand with one of hers. "I won't make you talk if you don't want to."

He shook his head, curling up a little smaller. "I just want to be alone for awhile longer," he muttered. "Please."

His voice was different now, softer and more pleading. Ashley hesitated and then sighed.

"You and I are going out tomorrow night," she informed him, and stood. "I'll see you later."

* * *

"You shouldn't have let her in here." Andros glared at Deca reproachfully. "Don't make me reprogram you."

"You have made that threat repeatedly over the last two years," she reminded him. "I have yet to see any inclination on your part to follow through."

"Don't tempt me," he muttered. "Leave me alone."

"If I recall correctly, it was you who initiated this conversation." Deca sounded just a little bit smug as she added, "As to your first comment, I disagree."

It took him a moment to realize that she was referring to his refusal to see Ashley. "I wanted to be alone."

"May I ask why?" she inquired.

"No."

"It often helps to have a source of comfort during a grieving period," Deca remarked, her tone unusually gentle. "Are you certain that it is wise to isolate yourself from your friends?"

"Yes."

Her eye blinked at him reprovingly, and he sighed. Why would no one believe that he just wanted some time to deal with this on his own?

"What do you want me to do?" he demanded. "Cry on her shoulder?"

"You did once before," she reminded him. "It appeared to help you deal with your emotions."

"That was different," he muttered. He'd felt the need for release then, anything to make the pain eating at him go away. Now he was just... numb. He didn't feel like crying. He didn't feel like anything, really.

"I believe that it would still be beneficial," Deca insisted. "Even for a short time."

"I don't." He paused, and then added, "And I don't care _what_ you're certified in that tells you otherwise, I want to be alone."

"I am certified in medical, psychological, and--"

"I know, I know," Andros cut her off.

Growling under his breath, he grabbed his blanket and pillow and stalked into his bathroom. The bathrooms were the only place that he could completely deactivate Deca's sensors, and he did so before wrapping the blanket around his shoulders and trying to make himself comfortable in the tub.

He half expected her to turn the water on out of spite, but she didn't. Sighing in relief, Andros drew the blanket up over his head and closed his eyes. Slowly, he fell into an uneasy sleep.

* * *

"I thought you wouldn't feel too much like doing anything," Ashley explained hesitantly, as they walked slowly towards her house. His hand was in hers, but he wasn't listening. "So I thought we could... watch a movie or something," she said with a shrug. "Whatever you want."

"Okay," he muttered, surprising her. He kept his eyes on his feet. "That sounds fine."

He didn't want to be here, she knew, and sighed. Maybe it would have been better not to drag him out... but then he would have just moped around on the Megaship the way he had been doing. Ashley gave his hand a squeeze as they cut across her yard to the door, not knowing how else to help him.

Silence greeted them as they stepped into the house, along with a gust of warm air. Ashley shrugged off her jacket, hanging it in the hall closet.

"My mom must have just left for work, then," she mused out loud. "If the heater's still on... Have you eaten yet? I'm hungry."

He shook his head no, following her into the kitchen without a word. He took a seat at the kitchen table and stared at his hands while Ashley rummaged through the refrigerator for something they could eat. Her mom had been working nights the last week, and Ashley and Jeff hadn't bothered to cook much at all. Eventually she managed to find some pasta that didn't look too questionable and stuck it in the microwave.

"Something to drink?" she offered, sitting down across from him when he shook his head. "How are you?"

The microwave beeped before he answered, but Ashley didn't get up. "I'm fine," he muttered. "I just..."

He didn't finish, his shoulders slumping in a sigh. She nodded slowly and went to dump the pasta into two bowls. They ate in silence, but he seemed to have at least something of an appetite and she supposed that was a good sign.

"Ashley?" he asked suddenly, for just one second catching her eye. "I..."

His voice died away, but he tried to smile at her. Ashley just nodded and reached for his hand, holding his fingers tightly between her own. "Living room might be more comfortable," she said after a moment of silence. "We can just sit if you want."

He nodded his head slowly, standing up to follow her. It felt too quiet as they crossed back through the dining room and front hall, their shoes making almost no noise on the carpet. Ashley flicked on a light and dropped down onto the couch, motioning for Andros to join her.

He frowned and for a moment, she thought that he would change his mind. Then he sat down stiffly next to her, his hands clenched in lap. Ashley didn't reach out to him this time, unsure of what she should do.

"Ash?" he ventured softly, startling her. "I... I'm sorry if I said anything to upset you yesterday."

She cocked her head at him curiously, frowning. "What?"

"When you came to talk to me," he said, noting her confusion. "I didn't want you there, and I... I know you only wanted to help."

"You only said that you wanted to be alone," she reminded him softly.

"Oh." He frowned to himself, and sighed. "It must have been Zhane that I was horrible to, then... I don't remember."

"Um..." Ashley bit her lip with a sigh. "About Zhane..."

"What?" He watched her worriedly, and she glanced down.

"He was sort of... dating her," she mumbled, staring down at her lap. "Before you ever came back."

"But..." Andros's voice trailed off as he stared at her, disbelief written across his face. "He--he would have told me."

"He was going to," she said softly. "But he was afraid of how you'd react and she... she wasn't sure that you were her brother."

"But--I--wait..." He frowned at her, shaking his head. "Why didn't _you_ tell me?"

She didn't have an answer for him. Fury flickered across his face and she nearly cringed away from him guiltily, but it was gone as soon as it came. Andros lowered his head and gave a heavy sigh, his shoulders slumping.

"I guess it doesn't matter now," he muttered.

"Don't talk like that." Ashley laid one hand on his clenched fist, squeezing gently. "You'll get her back somehow, I know you will."

Her heart leapt hopefully when he nodded and she slid closer to him, laying her other hand on his shoulder. When he didn't protest, she draped her arm around him and silently pulled him close. He seemed to appreciate the hug more than anything she could have said; he relaxed, shifting into a more comfortable position on the couch.

"Thank you," he murmured into the silence, leaning his head against her shoulder.

Her only answer was to tighten her arms around him. Ashley stroked his hair with one hand and pressed a kiss to his forehead before resting her head on his. The warmth of his body was soothing against hers and it was almost pleasant to curl up with him. Ashley couldn't quite forget why she was holding him in the first place, and it spoiled the thought.

"You'll be okay," she muttered back. "We'll help you."

"I know."

He didn't speak after that, only tucking his head against her shoulder. Ashley smiled and kissed the top of his head, letting her eyes slide shut. For awhile, she just listened to him breathe, inhaling and exhaling slowly and evenly. Carefully shifting her head, she snuck a quick glance at him before letting her neck fall back. A smile touched her lips to see that his eyes were shut, and she hoped that he'd fallen asleep; she doubted that he'd had much of it in the last few days.

She closed her eyes again and she must have dozed off; the next thing she was fully aware of was her mother shaking her shoulder to wake her. Ashley blinked groggily, yawning.

"Wha... Huh?" she mumbled, feeling Andros's head still pillowed against her. "What time is it?"

"Three."

"In the _morning_?"

"Does it look like the middle of the afternoon?" Lisa yawned and shoved her hair back tiredly, shaking her head. "What's going on?"

"I... we fell asleep," Ashley muttered sheepishly, looking back at Andros. He hadn't moved, and she didn't want to wake him.

"I can see that."

"Mom..." Ashley shot her mother a pleading glance. "Can he stay here? Just for tonight, please?"

Lisa sighed. "Ashley..."

"I'll go up to my room," she promised quickly, anticipating the response. "I just don't want to wake him up."

Andros twitched then and she winced, lowering her voice. "It's a really long story," she added. "I'll explain it all to you in the morning."

Her mother rubbed her eyes with the heel of her palm, hesitating. "Don't let me catch you down here until morning," she relented, and Ashley beamed.

"I'll go to bed as soon as I get him a blanket," she whispered, and Lisa nodded.

"Get some sleep, Ashley."

Lisa left the room quietly while Ashley tried to settle Andros comfortably on the couch. Slowly, carefully, she unwound her arms from around him without waking him. Laying him down was more difficult and she wasn't entirely convinced that he didn't come at least partially awake, but she slipped the couch pillow beneath his head and left to find a blanket.

Returning with it, she covered him and crouched down at his side. Smiling a little, she brushed stray hairs out of his face, and sighed. He looked smaller now, more vulnerable, and she wanted just to keep holding him until everything was okay again.

"Night," she whispered, pressing a kiss to his forehead. "I'll see you in a few hours."

Ashley bit her lip as she straightened up, words on the tip of her tongue. She'd meant to tell him days ago, but after Karone had been taken again, it hadn't seemed right. But he was asleep now; he wouldn't hear, and she needed to say it.

"I love you," she whispered, as quietly as she could. For a moment, she waited with bated breath, half hoping that he would wake. She wasn't sure whether to be relieved when he didn't so much as stir, and Ashley let out a long, slow sigh. Taking one last look at him, she headed up the stairs to her bed.

* * *

**Author's Note:** I really should stop promising to update more quickly because, clearly, it's not happening. I'll do the best that I can, but no promises. Hopefully, no more than three weeks without an update; I want this story finished sometime this... year? Heh.

It's been two years now since I first posted a story here, and I just have to say-- Thanks SO much for all of your reviews, they mean the world to me. You guys are the greatest. :)


	22. Chapter 22

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the Power Rangers.

**Chapter 22**

It was still early when Ashley crept down the stairs into the living room, but it was empty. Andros was gone, and the blanket was neatly folded and draped over the arm of the couch. She sighed as she picked it up, wishing that he hadn't gone so soon. She would have liked at least to see that he was okay before he locked himself up on the Megaship again.

But if he was okay, then he wouldn't be locking himself up on the Megaship. Ashley chewed on her bottom lip thoughtfully as she stowed the blanket and pillow away in the closet, tempted to go find him. She decided against it a moment later, when she couldn't be entirely sure that he would be grateful to her for it.

Maybe all he needed was to be alone for awhile... which, she remembered, was what he'd been doing until she'd dragged him off. Biting her lip as guilt rushed through her, Ashley shut the closet door and leaned back against the wall. Her eyes fell on her communicator, and she sighed. If he was upset with her, she shouldn't bother him.

Except that she didn't _know_ if he was, and that was the part that was driving her crazy. Ashley closed her eyes and shook her head hard, turning herself towards the kitchen. She wasn't really hungry, but it would give her something to do besides wondering if Andros was mad at her or not.

"He left about an hour ago," someone said from behind her, and Ashley whirled around with a shriek.

"Don't sneak up on me like that!" she snapped at her brother, throwing a towel at him. Her eyes narrowed. "And how do you know he was even here?"

Jeff caught the towel in one hand, smirking at her. "Let's just say the two of us had a little talk."

"You didn't!" Ashley glared at him, shaking her head. "If you've scared him off--"

"I think we got along pretty well, actually." Jeff paused. "He just nodded while I made threats."

"Jeff!"

"What?" Her brother offered her his most innocent smile. "I only lectured him a little, and he didn't seem to mind. He even agreed with most of it... well, all of it. We're just undecided about what counts as touching you."

"You're not serious." Ashley stared at him hard, shaking her head. "_Please_ tell me you're not serious."

He grinned at her, and she let out her breath in relief. "Don't do that to me!"

"Sorry," he said, totally unapologetic. "Seriously? I like him."

"You should." Ashley couldn't help smiling as she pulled open the refrigerator. "He's just so... I love him."

"Love him?" Jeff raised an eyebrow, and she looked down.

"Yeah." She shrugged as best she could, staring down at her feet. "I haven't told him yet."

"Oh." Jeff didn't seem to know how to respond to that. "Well... I won't mess with him for awhile, then."

Ashley stuck her tongue out at him. "Good."

"I'll see you later, Ash," Jeff said, with a glance at his watch. "I've got to meet someone in half an hour."

"Have fun," she told his retreating back, and returned to her half-hearted attempt at making breakfast.

She dropped some bread into the toaster before it occurred to her to make hot chocolate. That was one thing that never failed to brighten her mood, and she felt a smile work its way across her face as she set to work. She'd check in on Andros after she was done, she decided, and leave him alone if that's what he wanted.

"I hope you're making me some," her mother said from behind her, and Ashley nearly dropped the spoon.

"Stop sneaking up on me!"

Yawning, Lisa raised an eyebrow. "Aren't you a Power Ranger?"

"Aren't you up early?" Ashley grumbled with much more annoyance than she really felt. "How much do you want?"

"Just a little, I'll be getting back to bed in a few minutes." Lisa sat at the kitchen table, her eyes fixed on Ashley. "But it's morning now, and we're going to talk before you disappear again."

"I don't..." Ashley stared down at the pot for a moment. "I'll try to be here more often," she said guiltily. "I mean..."

"Oh, don't worry about that," her mom said, sighing in resignation. "You're here more than Jeff ever was. But about Andros."

Ashley mixed the hot chocolate and passed her mom one of the mugs before she even thought of how to answer. "It's a long story," she muttered finally. "And I can't tell you all of it."

"That's all right."

"I can't tell you most of it."

"Can you tell me why he spent the night on our couch?"

"Yeah." Ashley sipped her hot chocolate, and sighed. "I needed to get him off of the Megaship before he drove himself crazy."

Lisa considered that for a few moments. "I'm not sure that I understand."

Ashley hesitated. "I'm worried about him," she admitted. "And I don't know what to do."

"Okay." Her mom nodded slowly. "That I can understand. What's the problem?"

"Well..."

"You can be as vague as you need to be," Lisa said. "I don't need too many details. I'm assuming you want my help, of course..."

"Thanks," Ashley whispered gratefully. "He... he and his sister were... taken away from their family when they were little."

She paused, not wanting to spill any more of Andros's history than she absolutely had to. "They were separated then and he's been looking for her ever since. He found her a few weeks ago and then Dark Spectre took her back. I just wanted to distract him a little bit."

"I'm going to assume that that's the oversimplified version," Lisa remarked. "Well, did it work?"

"Huh?"

Ashley watched her mother roll her eyes good-naturedly. "Did you or did you not succeed in distracting him?"

"I hope so," she murmured. "I'm worried about him."

"It hurts to lose someone," Lisa said quietly. "He's grieving."

"Yeah." Ashley nodded with a sigh, staring down into her hot chocolate. "I just wish... I want to help him, somehow."

"You're not going to make the hurt go away." Her mother drained the last of her own hot chocolate and dumped the mug into the dishwasher. "Just give him some time."

"You're the second person to tell me that," she muttered thoughtfully. "Do I really come off that way?"

Her mom smiled faintly. "It's not necessarily a bad thing."

"But..." Ashley chewed on her lower lip, tucking her hair behind her ear. "I don't want to just take away what he's feeling. I want, I don't know... I want to help him through it."

Lisa nodded approvingly. "Good girl. It'll take some time, that's all."

"I know. It's just not fair," Ashley murmured, her fingers curling around her mug. "He's lost so many people already."

"In my experience, life is never fair." Lisa crossed her arms over her chest and sighed, shaking her head. "It never gets any easier to lose the people that you love."

Ashley bit her lip as she nodded. "Mom?" she ventured tentatively. "Can I ask you something?"

"Go ahead."

"What happened between you and Dad?" she blurted out, before she could think better of it. "Why don't we ever hear from Jonathan?"

As she'd expected, shadows clouded her mother's face. "It's... complicated," was the only answer Lisa offered. "You'll understand when you're older."

"But I am older! I'm as old as Jonathan was when he left, and I want to know why--"

"Because," Lisa said stiffly, "sometimes things happen, Ashley, and you can't change them. No matter how much you might want to."

"But can't I at least know why?" Ashley balled her fists as she stared down her mother, shaking her head. "Can't I know why I never hear from my father and brother?"

"Ashley... it's a very long story and I have a lot to do today." Lisa brushed her hair back from her forehead, and sighed. "I'll tell you some other time."

Ashley waited until her mother left the room before dashing her mug against the kitchen table. The remains of her drink spilled out but when the ceramic didn't break, she ground her teeth together in frustration. Not knowing what else to do, she headed back to the Megaship in hopes that Andros would let her in. She needed _something_ to cheer her up.

* * *

Zhane had given up after an hour. Andros was ignoring him and he was doing a damn good job of it. Annoyed and just a little confused, the Silver Ranger retreated to the Simudeck to vent off his frustration through a good workout. 

When he stepped onto the Simudeck, he paused in surprise at seeing it already occupied. It was early still; he wouldn't have expected anyone but Andros to be up.

"Ashley?" He ran a hand through his short hair when she turned towards him, recognizing her stormy expression for what he felt himself. "Andros brush you off, too?"

She shook her head, her shoulders too tense. "I haven't been to see him yet," she admitted. "I don't think I'm feeling patient enough yet."

Zhane suppressed a wry smile at her words, and simply nodded his head. "That about says it all," he sighed. "I've been trying to talk to him for an hour."

"That bad?" She grimaced, then shook her head. "That came out wrong," she muttered. "I meant..."

"I know." He paused for a moment before adding, "Yeah, that bad."

"He didn't seem so upset last night," she murmured. "I thought... He let me hold him."

"Last night?"

She spotted his confusion quickly and shrugged, a little sheepishly, he thought. "He was with me at my house. We sort of fell asleep on the couch."

"Oh?" Zhane arched an eyebrow in surprise. "How'd you talk your way into his room?"

"I didn't," she admitted. "Deca did it."

"She likes you better than me," he complained, and shook his head in mock disgust. "It's not fair!"

Ashley rolled her eyes at him, but he saw a small smile form on her lips. "Maybe I'll go see him, then... Oh," she said, "I sort of told him about you and Karone."

Zhane groaned, but clarity hit him then and he sighed. "That might explain why he's ignoring me."

"I'm sorry," she muttered, biting her lip. "I didn't want to cause trouble between you two."

"Don't worry about it," he said, though he was a bit ticked. But he knew that he should have said something when he'd had the chance, and that was his own fault that he hadn't. "He's probably just sulking.

"I hope," he added, frowning. "I'm going to talk to him again. I'll blast the door open if I have to."

He didn't have to. After spouting a few random threats, the door slid open to admit him, and Zhane had a clear view of Andros glaring daggers at the camera mounted on the wall before the door slid closed and cut off the light from the hall.

The lights brightened enough for Zhane to see Andros lying on his side, his left hand clenched around his locket. Sighing, the Silver Ranger crossed the room and sat himself near Andros's feet, arms crossed as he studied his friend.

"So Ashley told you."

"Why didn't you?"

Zhane blinked in surprise; he hadn't really expected Andros to answer. "Because, well... I didn't know she was your sister!"

"But you did later."

"And that's why I didn't tell you."

Andros didn't answer, and Zhane sighed. "Look, I'm sorry. I knew all along that I should have said... something, but I... you thought she was your sister, she wasn't sure that you were her brother, and I didn't want to... I don't know."

"I'm not angry," Andros said quietly, even more unexpectedly. "I'm--I'm glad she had someone she could trust."

"But it would have been better if it had been you."

The hand that gripped his locket relaxed somewhat, and Andros closed his eyes, his face pained. "We never had the chance."

"Hey," Zhane said sharply, "you're going to get her back. You said it yourself, you'll find a way to get through to her, remember?"

"Don't," Andros whispered. "Please don't... It's all you and Ashley say to me, and I can't listen to it anymore."

"Just don't give up, all right?" Zhane pleaded, and then hurriedly changed the subject. "So, I hear you spent the night with Ashley."

"Not like that and you know it," Andros muttered, a defensive edge to his voice. "It's not like I planned it."

"But you did."

"We fell asleep on the couch," he admitted reluctantly. "She wasn't there when I woke up."

"And you just _left_?" Zhane demanded.

"What else was I supposed to do?" Andros opened his eyes only to shoot him a worried look. "Did I do something wrong?"

"You're hopeless," Zhane declared. "Really, Andros. You just left?"

"Yes," the Red Ranger snapped at him. "I left, and unless she's upset with me for it, I don't care what you're going to say."

"Sorry." Zhane eased up, shaking his head. "You know, you're probably a better person than I am."

"Why?" Andros looked at him warily. "What would you have done?"

"If you'd stayed long enough, she would have come to check on you," Zhane said, hiding a smile when Andros rolled his eyes. "You wasted a perfectly good opportunity."

He was pleased to see Andros flush bright red. Maybe not entirely hopeless, then... Zhane ran his fingers through his short hair and leaned back against the supporting post on the bunk, arms crossed. That made this easier.

"You're in love with her, aren't you?"

"I... I haven't told her."

"So, that's a yes, then?" Zhane said brightly. "Good."

"Zhane..." There was a warning note in Andros's voice as he sat up, avoiding eye contact. "What do you want?"

He shrugged. "What I really came here for was to make sure you weren't too upset with me for not telling you about Karone, and since you don't seem to be... you can kick me out any time you want to."

A reluctant smile tugged at Andros's lips, fading as their eyes met for a moment or two. "How and when I tell her is none of your business," he said firmly.

Unfortunately--for Zhane, at least--it was true. "Fine," he grumbled. "She's crazy about you, you know."

"Yeah." Andros stared down at his lap for a moment. "I know."

Zhane frowned. "Shouldn't you be, I don't know, _happy_ about that?"

"But..." Andros looked up at him uncertainly, his fists balled on his lap. "It's not fair of me to keep asking her to be patient with me."

Zhane opened his mouth to reassure Andros that it was all in his head when he remembered what Ashley had said earlier on the Simudeck. "I don't think she minds," he said instead, as lightly as he could. "You're worth it to her."

"But why?" Andros uncurled his fists, forcing out a deep breath. "Whenever I'm around her, it's like I can never do anything wrong."

"Don't worry, you'll screw up sooner or later," Zhane said cheerfully, smirking. "Enjoy it while it lasts."

Andros frowned, shaking his head with a sigh. "It just... feels like I don't deserve her, sometimes."

"Of course you do," Zhane retorted immediately, relieved that he could be totally honest now. "No one deserves someone more than you do, and so much the better that it's Ashley."

"Thanks," Andros said awkwardly, rolling his shoulders back. His eyes were sad this time, and he looked down at his lap almost guiltily. "You love her, don't you."

"Ashley?" Zhane gaped at him for a moment. "Oh. You meant Karone."

Andros nodded.

There was a moment of tense silence before Zhane decided he might as well do this all the way. "Does it bother you that I do?"

"No."

"You never were a good liar," Zhane remarked, managing to draw a shaky laugh from his friend.

"I know." Andros stared at the wall, shaking his head. "If you love her... why did you let her go?"

"She wanted to," he replied slowly. "I think she even needed to... Maybe we should have made her stay, but it was something that she felt that she had to do."

"I keep--I keep trying to tell myself that," Andros muttered. "But it only makes it worse."

"Because you've already said goodbye." Zhane leaned forward again, not quite able to hold Andros's gaze. "I know she'll come back someday."

"How?" Andros demanded. "You can't know that."

"I can," Zhane argued. "I'll see Karone again, and I'll see my parents again, and I'll go home to KO-35 someday. It's not so hard to believe."

"Yeah, well," Andros muttered. "It is for me."

* * *

It was three hours before he finally kicked Zhane out of his room and another several before he felt like seeking out Ashley. It hadn't slipped by his notice that she hadn't come looking for him herself, and he wondered uncertainly if he'd upset her somehow. 

He found her in her room, the door shut but unlocked. Andros knocked quietly before he stepped inside just a bit. "Ash?"

"Oh, hi." Her smile was a little strained, but she waved him all the way inside. "How are you?"

"I'm fine," he replied, almost automatically. Andros brushed away her concern for him as he saw tearstains on her cheek, frowning. "Are _you_ okay?"

"Yeah... yeah, it's nothing." She lifted one hand two swipe at her cheeks, sighing. "Just an argument with my mother, that's all."

"You don't look like you're okay," he insisted, seating himself on the edge of her mattress.

"We had a little bit of a fight this morning," she admitted. "I called her awhile ago and we ended up snapping at each other again... I'll be fine. It's nothing, really."

"But you're crying," he said softly. He almost didn't dare, but carefully he reached out to brush his thumb across her cheek, wiping away her tears.

She leaned against his hand, turning her face to press a kiss to his palm. Andros swallowed nervously and scooted closer to her, sliding first one arm and then the other around her in a loose hug.

He tightened his arms around her waist when she leaned against him, letting out a deep breath when she tucked her head beneath his chin. The flowery smell of her hair filled his nose and he almost pushed her away. He used to be able to hug her without being so acutely aware of how the shape of her body molded against his, without wondering what it would feel like if he was brave enough to ask for a little more.

"Are you sure you're all right?" he asked, desperately needing a distraction from how wonderful her warm breath felt on his neck.

_You're supposed to be comforting her,_ he snapped at himself. He was doing a poor job of it so far.

"Yeah." She turned her head until she was comfortable, hugging him a little closer. "I'll be fine."

"I wanted to thank you," he said abruptly, and she drew away to look him in the eye. "For what you did for me last night."

"Oh." Ashley smiled before she laid her head on his shoulder another time, squeezing his middle hard. "I was worried you were upset with me for that... I'm just glad you're all right."

"I wasn't angry with you," he told her, flushing guiltily. "With myself for letting her go, and with her for wanting to... not you."

"Still," she sighed, "if you ever need to be alone and I won't let you--"

"Don't worry about it," he said firmly. "I didn't mean to fall asleep on your couch, though," he added sheepishly. "Thanks for letting me stay."

She giggled softly at that. "That felt sort of nice, actually," she told him. "Falling asleep with you."

"It... did?" An odd feeling welled up in the pit of his stomach, a sort of tingling that he wasn't yet sure was a good thing.

"Yeah. You're warm," she said, with a little laugh. "It's nice."

"Oh." Andros let out a deep breath, smiling as he relaxed. "Yeah," he admitted, turning his head to kiss her cheek. "That--that felt nice."

She made a soft sound of agreement as she nuzzled closer to him, and Andros tensed before he could help it. When had he gone from hardly able to kiss her to letting her cuddle up against him? He didn't know and felt a sudden rush of vulnerability as he realized how far down his walls had come.

"Andros?" Ashley pulled away to frown at him, and he realized she'd felt him stiffen. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." He let out a deep breath and smiled at her, twining the fingers of his left hand through hers. "Would you... want to take a walk with me or something?"

She beamed at him as she nodded, and he swallowed hard. His heart pounded furiously in his chest as he realized what he planned to do, but he couldn't bring himself _not_ to. He had to tell her sometime and he might as well get it over with.

Except... No, he shouldn't do it this way. He should make it special for her somehow. Andros bit his lip nervously, knowing that he'd never have the nerve to be as romantic as she probably wanted him to be.

"Are you sure you're all right?"

He nodded his head slowly, taking her hand. "Where do you want to go?"

"Well... the park is really pretty at sunset," she said hopefully, and he felt himself smile for no reason at all.

"If that's where you want to go," he agreed, and took her other hand in his as they teleported down to Earth in a shimmery streak of reddish-gold light.

* * *

**A/N: **Well, at least it wasn't short this time... I figured I should update at least one story before I give real life some attention for a few days and enjoy spring break. (Yay, finally!) Hope you like, and I'll have the next chapter up as soon as I can. Please tell me what you think!  



	23. Chapter 23

**Disclaimer: **Not mine.

**Chapter 23**

"Ash?" Andros's voice was soft in her ear as he stroked her hair with one hand, slowly and gently. "Are you still awake?"

"Mmm... yeah." She forced her eyes open, hit by a wave of drowsiness as she lifted her head up off of his shoulder. "Sorry about that..."

"I don't mind." He caught her eye and smiled, catching her hand in his. "But you wanted to see the sunset."

She smiled at him as she stretched, her back arching before she pillowed her head on his shoulder another time. It was late autumn now and chilly, even moreso because they sat in the shade of a tree. Andros draped his arm loosely over her shoulders, warming her as he hugged her to his side.

"Look at all the colors," she murmured, her eyes sweeping the horizon. From deep pink to brilliant orange, the sky all around them was splashed in warm colors that she could just stare at forever.

"It's beautiful," Andros agreed, but he might just have been saying that. She decided that he probably wasn't when he sighed softly and added, "It reminds me of home."

"Really?" She tilted her head back to look at him, pleased to see the hint of a smile on his face.

"Yeah." He closed his eyes for a second, letting out another deep breath. "There was more orange and sometimes there was purple... but this is close enough."

"We have purple here too," she murmured, her eyes sliding shut as she savored the warmth and quiet that wrapped around her. "Sometimes... Mostly orange and pink."

She smiled to herself suddenly, squeezing his fingers hard. "Look at all the the orange," she said with a soft giggle, craning her head back to look at the sky.

Andros did the same, a frown of confusion on his face. "I don't understand."

"Silly," she said, gently poking his shoulder. "Red and yellow make orange."

His frown deepened, a startled look crossing his face. "They do?"

"You... didn't know that?" She stared at him blankly, unable to comprehend how he wouldn't know something so simple.

"No..." He cocked his head at her, shrugging his shoulders once. "Should I have?"

"I--I guess not," she said slowly, oddly bothered. "It's just that colors is one of the first things I remember learning in preschool."

"Oh." He paused for a moment, looking like he didn't quite know what to say. "Preschool?"

"It's like... school before school, I guess," she explained, trailing her fingers through the grass. "We go there when we're like three or four, and then there's kindergarten and then in first grade we start learning to read and write and do math."

"Oh." Andros nodded in understanding. "We start school when we're four," he told her. "From the first day, we learned reading, writing, and mathematics. Science and history were added the next year."

"Wow..." It made her head hurt just to imagine all that. "So you're all born smart?"

"No."

"But you're learning all that when you're _four_."

"Yes." 

"So you're all born smart."

"No," he repeated, faintly amused. "We only have different standards than your world."

"Obviously." Ashley picked at the grass, sliding the blade back and forth between her fingers. "It doesn't sound like you had much time to just be a kid."

"I wouldn't know," he said quietly. "I can't remember before so well, and after..."

"Oh." She frowned, laying her hand on his elbow. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine." He smiled slightly and stretched his shoulders before leaning back against the rough bark of the tree trunk. "You know that we graduate when we're fifteen, sometimes sixteen?"

"Zhane told me."

"I was twelve when I came back to KO-35," he reminded her, "and I'd been gone for six years. You can imagine how far behind the rest of my class I was."

She nodded slowly, wondering at the expression on his face. "How hard was it for you to catch up?"

He looked down, and she could tell he was biting back a smile. "I graduated early."

"How early?" she demanded suspiciously. "How old were you?"

"Half a year," he said with a shrug, and her mouth dropped open as he added, "I was almost fifteen."

"So... _fourteen_?"

"Yes." He smiled smugly while she gaped at him in astonishment, straightening out one of his legs. "To be fair, though, I wouldn't have passed if there had been a history exam. Literature, science, and math were mandatory, and I had a choice of two between political science, language, and modern intergalactic history. I chose the other two." 

"I don't think I even knew what political science _was_ when I was fourteen," Ashley muttered, shaking her head. "That's... amazing that you could do that."

"It came naturally to me," he said, brushing off her amazement with a frown. "I don't see it as anything spectacular." 

"Of course you wouldn't," she murmured, trying not to smile too widely. "But it is."

"It kept me from having to interact with other people," he said softly, staring off into the distance. "It was practically all I did for two years, even more than training. Deca was my private tutor, I didn't go to school with Zhane. While I was studying, I should have been paying closer attention to the fact that the Karovan Rangers were falling apart."

"That doesn't make you any less incredible," she told him, her smile fading slowly when he looked away.

"To me it does," he said, his voice still quiet.

Ashley sighed, then hugged him hard. "You're not going to let me convince you that you're a genius, are you?"

"Because I'm not."

"I don't care." She buried her face into his shoulder, eyes closed as she breathed in the warm smell of his skin. Ashley wasn't quite sure how he smelled warm, exactly, but it was the first thing that came to mind and it made her feel safe. "I like you anyway."

He touched her hair, gathering it into a ponytail before he released it all and let it spill over her shoulders again. She smiled when he kissed the top of her head, hugging him a little closer. It felt so nice to hold onto him, she thought with a quiet sigh, resting her cheek comfortably on his shoulder. He was soft but hard beneath it; she could feel his strength as he wrapped an arm around her.

Ashley opened her mouth, closing it slowly. She wouldn't say anything now that would ruin this moment, and so she squeezed him a little closer and shut her eyes, content just to sit there with him for awhile longer.

* * *

Andros let out a deep breath as Ashley led him through the park back towards the streets, her hand clasped in his. He wasn't quite sure how long exactly they had sat there in the grass, but the sunset had faded into twilight and darkness was rapidly approaching now. The chilly air made him shiver, and he wondered idly how Ashley could wear a tank top and not be cold. 

"So..." She broke the silence hesitantly, giving his hand a squeeze. "Want to get something to eat?"

He let out a sigh, glancing down at the sidewalk before he looked over at her. He didn't really, not when he'd finally regained some measure of peace. He knew it would be gone the instant he was dragged into a room crowded with people.

"If you want to."

"We can go somewhere quiet." She smiled at him knowingly and dropped his hand in order to wrap her arm around his waist. "It'll be fun, I promise."

He felt his lips twitch into a smile before he could help himself, nodding. "Okay."

"This way," she said, her arm still around him as she headed for downtown. "This place has the best food, but it's always empty."

He let out a soft breath of relief, relaxing some. Empty was good. Andros doubted he'd ever feel completely at ease anywhere but the safety of the Megaship, but he couldn't very well spend his every moment there. As long as he didn't panic in crowds, though, he saw no point in forcing himself to be around them.

"You're quiet again," Ashley noticed, tilting her head against his shoulder for an instant. "Are you okay?"

"Just thinking," he murmured. "I'm fine."

"Are you?"

"Yeah," he said. "I am."

"Okay." She hugged him a little closer as they walked, her head on his shoulder again.

He felt a rush of relief that she didn't ask what he was thinking about; not because he didn't want to tell her, exactly, but because he preferred just walking down the street with her silently. The arm she had around him was more of a comfort than any words she could have spoken.

They strolled past the Chinese restaurant where they had gone their first date, and Andros felt himself blush at the memory. Ashley giggled softly when she caught the look on his face, squeezing him hard.

"We could go there again," she suggested, tilting her head on his shoulder. "I'll teach you how to use chopsticks."

"Maybe next time," he muttered, as they cut across the alley that cut their walk in half.

Ashley only hugged him harder. "You're cute," she informed him.

He felt his lips twitching into a reluctant smile and closed his eyes, for an instant aware of only her and the way she made him feel like anything he did was okay. The moment was shattered when someone landed on his back, and he snapped back to the here and now with an unpleasant rush of adrenaline as his survival instincts kicked in.

"Andros!" Ashley shouted his name in alarm as he stumbled forward and nearly fell, her arm still halfway around him.

"Darkonda said I'd find you here."

His ears were suddenly ringing loudly, his heart thudding furiously. Andros squeezed his eyes shut in horror even as his training kicked in and he pitched his attacker forward off of his body with Ashley's help, straightening up to stand side by side with her.

"Who are you?" he demanded. "What do you want?"

"The first is unimportant. As for the second..." The alien climbed to his feet slowly, blank eyes meeting Andros's. "You must know there is a price on your head, Red Ranger. A small fortune, you might call it."

"I see," Andros said calmly, his body taut with controlled fury. "It's a shame you'll never collect it, then--but what made you think Darkonda would pay up in the first place?"

"He always has before." Grotesque orange lips curled into a sneer. "Your luck won't last you forever, Red Ranger. As long as you live, you'll never be free."

"I'll take my chances," Andros muttered.

He slid back defensively as the alien drew his sword, in the same motion raising his fists to fight. Ashley sprang forward past him then and he almost jumped; he'd nearly forgotten for a moment that she was there. She kicked their attacker across the chest and Andros followed her move with one of his own, this time carefully keeping himself from fighting recklessly. He wouldn't have them captured again because of his own stupidity.

He flipped open his morpher and out of the corner of his eye saw Ashley do the same. His morph formed around him, a comforting sensation in its familiarity. The Power helped him to clear his head and focus on the fight at hand, blocking for now the heaviness in the pit of his stomach.

No sooner had he summoned his Spiral Saber than the alien vanished without a word. Andros lowered his weapon cautiously, his eyes scanning the area before he allowed himself to breathe.

"Andros?" Ashley turned towards him, laying one of her hands on his arm. "What was that about?"

He didn't answer, his shoulders slumping as he willed away his saber. "Let's get back to the ship," he said brusquely, and teleported away without waiting for her to follow.

* * *

She caught up with him before he could vanish into his room, her hand grabbing his halfway up the corridor. Andros jerked away from her but he did stop walking, though he wouldn't look at her. 

"Andros," she started.

He cut her off with an angry shake of his head. "I don't want to talk about it."

"But--"

"_No_," he said harshly. "Leave me alone."

She hesitated, torn between doing as he asked and insisting that he explain to her who had attacked them and why. "I... is that what you want?" she asked softly. "Me to leave you alone?" 

"Yes." He answered instantly, his tone leaving no room for argument. "Please."

"All right, then," she agreed, biting down on her lip as she watched him walk away.

He turned into his room without giving her a backwards glance, and she stared after him for some time. Her eyes burned with suppressed tears when she finally locked herself in her own room, rolling into her bunk with a heavy heart.

Andros wasn't angry with her. She was mostly certain that he wasn't. He was only upset with what had happened earlier, and she hadn't helped any by pushing him. _He'll talk to you when he's ready to._

Ashley opened her eyes with a soft sigh. Hadn't she told him that she'd back off when he told her to? That she didn't expect more than he was willing to give? It had been easy to say when he had been willing to share with her. Now that he wasn't... she couldn't help but feel stung that he wouldn't talk to her. 

She turned over onto her side and hugged her old stuffed bear to her chest, chewing absently on her bottom lip. She knew that it wasn't her right to know anything Andros didn't want her to, no matter how curious she was. That didn't make her any less hurt that he didn't want to talk to her, but if she'd been through even the little that she knew of his past, Ashley had a suspicion that she wouldn't be too keen on sharing, either.

There was nothing she could do about it but wait until he was ready to talk, she told herself firmly and climbed out of bed. A long, hot shower did wonders towards making her feel better, but it still gnawed at her as she pulled on her pajamas and slid back into bed.

Her head lifted hopefully when there was a soft knock at her door. "Who's there?"

"Me," Andros's soft voice called back to her. "Can I come in?"

"Sure," she said, loudly enough that he would hear her on the other side of the door.

She sat up as the door slid open, blinking as the light from the hall spilled into her room. Ashley leaned over to flick on her bedside lamp, surprised to see Andros in his warm-up suit.

"Do you sleep in that?"

He shot her a startled look. "No."

"Oh." Ashley looked down as she felt herself blush, fiddling with her hands. "That was a stupid question... sorry."

"I..." Andros looked up at the ceiling, then down at the floor, his eyes flickering from side to side before he looked at her. "I shouldn't have snapped at you earlier."

"You didn't really," she said softly, trying hard to smile at him. "I should have left you alone when you said you didn't want to talk."

He didn't answer right away, his eyes dropping down again. "I've never... talked about it much with anyone that I didn't have to."

"Do you want to?"

"Not really."

"I won't ask, then," Ashley said quietly. He looked so relieved that she didn't feel half as badly as she had before about promising not to press him, a tiny smile forming on her lips. "But can I know one thing?"

His look turned wary. "What?"

"Why were we attacked tonight?"

"We weren't," he muttered. "_I _was. It's... complicated."

He didn't want to talk about it. Ashley tried not to sigh as she nodded, patting the bed beside her. "Sit down for awhile?" 

Andros hesitated. "I don't want to talk about this."

"We don't have to," she promised, just the tiniest bit reluctant. "We don't have to talk about anything."

Somewhat to her surprise, he relented and sat himself on the edge of her mattress, his body turned to face her. "Ashley..." He seemed to change his mind as he let his voice trail off, instead looking down at his hands.

"Thank you," he said softly. "For fighting with me tonight."

"I hardly did anything," she protested.

He shook his head, the hint of a smile on his face. "It was enough."

She smiled back and extended a hand towards him, freezing cold when he recoiled. "Sorry," she whispered, slowly drawing her hand back. "I didn't mean to--"

"I know." He reached out and squeezed her fingers hard, his smile forced. "I'm just... a little jumpy."

"It's all right." Ashley held onto his hand a moment longer, not sure quite what to say. "Are you all right?"

"Yes." He hesitated for a moment, then sighed. "I will be."

"You sure?" she couldn't help asking, not missing the flatness of his tone.

"I'm just remembering... it'll fade," he muttered. "I don't want to talk about it."

That was the third time he'd said that in five minutes, she realized guiltily. He didn't want to talk about it, and she wasn't getting it.

"I'm sorry," she said quietly, glancing away. "We can talk about something else."

"I think that would be a good idea." Andros nodded slowly, his arms hugged to his chest. "I..."

When his voice trailed off, she knew that he had no more idea what to say next than she did. Ashley stared down at her lap uncertainly, raising her head again when Andros stood.

"You're going to bed?" she asked, disappointed and relieved all at once.

"I'll be right back," he promised her. "I just remembered something."

"All right..." She smiled at him as he left her room, leaning back against her pillow with a sigh.

True to his word, Andros reappeared only minutes later, something in his hand. He sat closer to her this time, hesitating as he met her eye.

"I... got this awhile ago," he told her nervously. "I forgot I had it after Karone... but here."

Her eyes widened when he reached out and took her hand, gently dropping the bracelet into her open palm. It looked vaguely familiar; pearls and topaz on a silver band, but she couldn't quite remember where she'd seen it before.

"I--I hope you like it," Andros said softly. "I couldn't remember if this was the one that you were looking at, but it--it made me think of you."

It clicked then, and she remembered staring at this bracelet through the store window as she and Andros had wandered through Angel Grove after that date at the Chinese restaurant. She'd meant to go back and buy it for herself later, but she hadn't gotten around to it and then she had forgotten... Smiling to herself, Ashley closed her fist around the bracelet and leaned forward to hug him.

"I love it," she said softly, pressing a light kiss to his cheek. "Thank you, Andros."

"You really like it?" he said hopefully, and she had to smile.

"Of course I do." She giggled suddenly and hugged him harder, her chin resting on his shoulder. "It's orange."

"Yeah." He laughed quietly, pulling away to smile at her. "It is."

Ashley tried hard not to grin. She failed miserably, but didn't much care--he was laughing again and smiling, and she knew somehow that he would be okay.

"You're cute," she murmured, with one hand reaching out to push his hair away from his face. "And you're so sweet... I don't think I've ever liked anyone as much as I like you."

She managed not to giggle again when he blushed and looked away, his lips twitching as he suppressed a smile. Carefully setting the bracelet down next to her lamp, she leaned over to kiss him quickly.

"Do you mean that?" he asked suddenly, and it took her a minute to remember what she'd just said.

"Of course I did." She squeezed his hands between her own, not understanding the troubled look creeping across his face. "Andros? What's wrong?"

"I..." he muttered, staring down at their clasped hands. "I can't do this."

"What?" She stared at him uncertainly, not quite sure what was happening. "What are you talking about?"

"I don't know why I trust you." He wouldn't look at her, his hands still gripping hers. "I just do and I believe that you don't tell me things that you don't mean, but I--if I show you and you change your mind, I..."

"Hey." She waited, hoping he would look at her. He didn't, but she continued anyway. "Whatever it is, you mean too much to me. I won't just walk away from you without a reason."

"I could give you reasons," he muttered under his breath, and sighed. "Ash... if you ever tell anyone, you put my life in danger."

That did not sound promising. Ashley tried to ignore the knots in her stomach and reassure him somehow, but she didn't have the faintest clue of what to say.

"I'd never do anything to hurt you," she finally managed to tell him, and felt his fingers tighten on hers. "But you don't have to tell me anything that you don't want to."

"I do have to." He loosened his grip on her hands, his thumb gently stroking her fingers. "We can't go any farther if I don't."

"All right." Ashley wasn't sure what it was he was talking about, but she couldn't bear to see that uncertainty and doubt on his face a moment longer. And hadn't she wanted to know? she demanded of herself. She was getting what she wanted.

Trying hard to smile at him reassuringly, Ashley gave his hands another squeeze. "Show me."

* * *

**A/N: **Yay! I've been nominated! Corporal Scarlett is running the It's a Ranger Thing Awards (link is in my profile page) and All I Am is nominated for Best PRiS Story. Voting is now open, and there's some awesome stories over there. Go check it out! As always, any and all feedback is welcome and appreciated. Thanks for reading! 


	24. Chapter 24

**Disclaimer:** The Power Rangers are not mine.

**Chapter 24**

Slowly and without a word, Andros unzipped his sweatshirt and shrugged it away from his shoulders. His eyes closed as he eased the fuzzy red fabric away from his body and set it to the side, opening again as he sighed. Ashley bit her lip to see the anxiety that shone clearly on his face, wanting to just fling her arms around him and hold him and tell him that it was okay.

He turned until his back was to her, straightening his shoulders. With his right hand he reached across to push back the cloth away from his left shoulder, his back rigid.

"Can you see it?" he asked quietly.

She leaned closer, resting one hand on his arm without thinking. He tensed and she pulled away immediately, silently kicking herself. Andros didn't say a word and she took another look, sucking her lower lip between her teeth as she saw it.

"Two circles?" She ventured a tentative guess, not entirely sure what she was looking at but knowing that it couldn't be anything good.

"No." Andros straightened up and looked away from her, his fists clenched in his lap. "It's easier to see in the light--it's the emblem of the Meh'ean system."

"I--I don't understand," she said slowly.

"The two habitable planets in the system were Viton and Jenzan," he explained calmly. Too calmly. "Both were well-known as slave worlds."

"Oh." It hit her an instant later, her eyes widening as the air was sucked out of her lungs. "_Oh._"

He nodded his head slowly. "They put it on all of us. It's permanent, just in case we ever ran away."

Andros lowered his head in a sigh, crossing his arms over his chest protectively. "My escaping wasn't exactly legal."

Ashley balled her hands into fists to keep herself from reaching out to him again. "Is that why you always cover it up?"

"Would you want to explain to strangers off the streets?" he demanded, his eyes fixed firmly on the wall opposite him. "But, yeah, it is. Legally... I belong to Baldric of Viton. Or his wife now, maybe. Darkonda told me that he died."

"Wait... _what?_" Horrified, she could only stare at him. "But... you're the Red Ranger."

"It doesn't matter." Andros finally looked at her, his pained face a total contrast to the bitterness of his words. "Unless I am set free, most of the universe sees me only as a slave, or they would if they knew."

He said all that so calmly, and all the while she just gaped at him in disbelief. "That's why that guy attacked you?"

His expression darkened as he slowly nodded his head. "Yes."

"But..." She couldn't wrap her mind around that, that he could just be captured and hauled off back to who-knew-where. "So someone can just come take you and put you back to work, and no one can do _anything_ about it?"

"More or less. Though I doubt they would just put me back to work," he added darkly. "They wouldn't be so kind."

"What--what would they do to you?" Truly afraid of the answer, she let out a deep breath when he shook his head.

"You don't want to know."

She probably didn't. Ashley sighed, leaning forward again for a better look. "How old were you when they did this?"

Her fingers brushed lightly against his shoulder before she thought better of it, and he tensed at her touch. "Six," he muttered.

"Six," she repeated hollowly. "You were just a little boy."

"And a safe bargain," he said bitterly. "Darkonda sold me so cheaply... if I survived, I would have been a valuable commodity. If I didn't... well, then they were only out the price of a few drinks."

"That's horrible!" Ashley just stared at him, not quite able to wrap her mind around the reality of his words. That someone could do that to another person was just so despicable that she could hardly believe it was true, but it only took one look at Andros to convince herself that it was.

"Yeah," he said softly. "It is--and I'm one of the lucky ones."

Her stomach turned. She didn't know what he meant and wasn't so sure any longer that she wanted to, but if Andros was one of the lucky ones... Ashley repressed a shiver.

"I'm glad for you, then," she said awkwardly. "That it wasn't as bad as it could have been."

"Me too." Andros smiled a forced smile and let out a long sigh.

Ashley looked down at her lap, biting her lip as she tried to reign in the urge to run her fingers over the mark. She doubted he would like that, but she just wanted to touch him, hold him. Before she did something she would later regret, she pulled her hand away.

"One more thing I should show you..." He looked at her uncertainly, his mouth opening and closing with no sound coming out.

"Okay..." Ashley frowned when he suddenly looked like he wanted nothing more than to just curl up and hide. "But... only if you want to."

"I have to," he said, sounding as though he were trying to convince himself just as much as her. "Because I--I can't keep falling for you if you can't love me how I am."

Stunned into silence, Ashley only nodded. Had Andros just told her... _He loves me?_

If he hadn't meant to tell her that, he didn't seem to notice the slip. He was too preoccupied with toying with the hem of his tank top as he stared miserably at his feet, uncertainty and plain fear dancing across his face.

Ashley was silent as she watched him. Whatever it was that he was going to show her, he looked half a moment away from changing his mind and she didn't want to push him either way.

He closed his eyes with a sigh and just dragged his tank top up over his head. He dropped it on top of his sweatshirt before he turned stiffly towards her, his arms falling to his sides as he let her look at him.

His head ducked, and Ashley felt her heart break. There was nothing she wanted more than to take him in her arms while swearing to him that he was the most gorgeous guy she'd ever laid eyes on, scars or no scars. It was with an effort that she restrained herself.

"I don't see what's so bad," she told him honestly. Thin white lines crisscrossed his chest, but he was hardly hideous.

"They don't bother you?" Andros glanced down at himself with a frown, clearly puzzled when his gaze met hers. "But--"

"Andros," she cut in quietly, "I told you once that it didn't matter to me if you had scars. I meant it; what bothers me is that someone did this to you, not that you have them."

"I believed you." He offered her a faint smile and a self-conscious shrug. "There's just so many of them..."

"More?"

"Yeah." He nodded, fidgeting with his hands. An expression halfway between sadness and pained amusement crossed his face as he explained, "I wasn't a very good slave."

Ashley almost laughed at that, fighting back the insane urge. "No," she agreed. "You're too stubborn."

"I wasn't always... and when I was, they would have called it disrespect," he said with a sigh. "They did, actually..." He winced at the memories, his eyes flickering up to meet hers. "They didn't like being disrespected."

"Andros..." Ashley hesitated. "Can I hug you?"

"Just one more thing," he whispered, and slowly turned until his back was to her.

Ashley gasped softly in horror, hating herself for the soft sound when she saw him flinch but she couldn't help it. The skin of his back was a twisted mess of scars on top of scars, some old but so many of them recent.

"Andros..." Try as she might, Ashley couldn't make herself look away. "Can I still hug you?"

Andros shot a quick glance over his shoulder. Ashley smiled at him hopefully when he turned to face her, gathering him into her arms when he nodded. He returned the hug this time, holding her tightly to his chest as he buried his face into her neck.

She touched his hair as she drew away, unable to keep from smiling at him. "Andros?"

He shot her a questioning look as she scooted away from him. Ashley let her eyes drift down his chest a little, drinking in the sight. Beneath the scars that she felt the strangest impulse to kiss, his muscles were toned and very well-defined. Her fingers itched to run across them down to his stomach, and she felt herself blush faintly when she met his eye.

"You," she said softly, "are gorgeous."

He bit back a smile as he blushed, but his voice was uncertain. "Am I?"

"Yeah," she said vehemently. "You really are. Not to mention handsome and--" She reached up to twist some blond hair around her finger, tugging playfully. "Very, very sexy."

The blush in his cheeks spread halfway down his neck, and Ashley couldn't help giggling softly. "And also very cute."

He smiled back at her openly this time, seeming to welcome her hug. Ashley rested her chin on his shoulder and smiled to herself, her eyes widening as she remembered.

"And Andros?" she added. She squeezed his middle hard, feeling beneath her fingers the uneven skin of his back as she summoned up the courage to say the words aloud. "I love you."

* * *

"May I speak with you?" 

Cassie was instantly glad that her back was to him. She grimaced at his words and sighed to herself before she turned around and nodded.

"Is everything okay?" she asked softly. "You've been sort of busy the last couple of days."

That was something of an understatement; she'd hardly seen him for half a week, and he was always distracted when she did.

"I had... work to do," Arietis said slowly, arms folded over his chest.

"Oh." She tugged awkwardly at the ends of her hair. What was she supposed to say? _"Forget about saving the world and go on a date with me?"_ Yeah, right.

"Cassie, I... I--Eltare wishes that I take a more... proactive approach to finding Zordon," he said, traces of bitterness on his face. "I should go as they ask."

"Oh," she said again, and sighed. "Yeah. You should."

He nodded slowly, looking not quite sure of what he meant to say. "I'll come back."

"I know," she murmured, and she did. She really did. "But when?"

"As soon as I can." It wasn't much of an answer, and they both knew it. "Cassie."

"Look, Arietis..." She was proud of the way her voice stayed strong. "We're both Rangers, and that should come first. People are depending on us."

"Yes." Slowly, he nodded his agreement, though he didn't look any happier than she felt. "Cassie?"

"Hmm?"

"Take this," he said softly. "If you want to, that is."

"What is it?" She took what he offered her, turning it over in her palms. It closely resembled their communicators, but she couldn't figure out why he would give her one of those.

"It connects directly with my ship," he explained. "Also with my personal communicator, if you ever need to speak with me."

"Oh..." Her voice trailed off as she smiled at him. "Well... thank you."

He smiled back, slowly closing the gap between them. "Will you wait a little longer?" he asked softly.

Cassie sighed. Her eyes fell from him to the communicator in her palm, a smile on her face as she looked back up at him. "Yeah," she said. "I will."

She should have wanted more, she thought, feeling a brief flash of irritation with herself. It shouldn't have been enough.

But for now, it was.

* * *

A peaceful smile was on his lips as he opened his eyes. Andros yawned and stretched slightly, feeling a flash of panic when something shifted next to him. It took him only a split second to remember that he was in Ashley's room and letting out a slow, deep breath, he forced himself to relax. 

She was still asleep, her head tucked into his chest and one leg draped across his waist. Andros was certain that they hadn't fallen asleep like that and shifted uncomfortably, trying to squirm away from her. She twitched and he sighed, not wanting her to wake just yet.

He took a long moment just to watch her, surprised at how pleasant it was waking up to find her in his arms. Her body was warm and soft against him, her chest rising and falling evenly with her steady breathing. Tentatively, Andros touched her hair. She didn't move.

She still didn't wake when he ran his fingers over the soft skin of her cheek, across her jawbone... He caught himself and drew his hand away guiltily. If she was awake, he might not have felt the need to. Asleep, she couldn't tell him to stop and he would never risk hurting her.

He let out a quiet breath as he watched her and shook his head, wondering what he'd ever done to deserve someone so... beautiful. In every way possible, he thought, his smile widening. He'd never thought that he'd feel the way that he did now, and he'd never dreamed that someone like her could love him... He still could hardly believe that she'd said those words, or that he'd managed to say them back.

"I've never said that to anyone before," he murmured aloud, keeping his voice low. "No one's ever said that to me before."

Or if they had, he didn't remember. Andros lowered his head as sadness swept over him, for a moment desperately wishing that he could remember his parents.

He tried to shake off the feeling a few minutes later. His parents were dead and gone, and had been for years. He hadn't seen them for twelve years, and he couldn't remember them much from the first six years of his life. It shouldn't hurt so much, then, he told himself, squeezing his eyes shut. He shouldn't ache so much for them, for the little brother he'd never even known.

But he did, and he didn't know how to make it stop. He could have driven himself crazy wondering if his parents would have been proud of him. Whether they would have seen all the good that he had tried to do instead of the mistakes he'd made doing it.

Had it really been almost three years? Andros sighed and closed his eyes, but all he could see was KO-35 in ruins, all those people dead because of him...

He had been so, so stupid.

Ashley shifted in her sleep, her breath hot on his skin as her face pressed against his shoulder. Andros let out a deep breath and tried to focus on being here with her, pushing KO-35 as far from his mind as he could.

He felt himself reach for her another time, unconsciously moving to push her hair back from her face. She stirred against his hand and he froze, silently cursing himself.

"Go back to sleep, Ash," he whispered. "I'm sorry."

Her eyes blinked open for a moment, then closed again. Andros drew in his breath when she snuggled closer, tensing as her body shifted against his. Her hand slid across his chest and he turned his face into the pillow, ordering himself to ignore how nice that felt. She was asleep, she didn't know what she was doing to him, and he shouldn't be thinking what he was.

"Hi..." Her voice was sleepy and muffled by a yawn, but still brought a smile to his face. "You're still here."

"Where else would I be?" Andros looked back towards her, allowing himself to breathe again when she put some room between them.

"Silly," she murmured. "I'm just glad to see you."

She yawned widely and stretched before curling up against him again, her head tucked against his shoulder. Andros let out a soft sigh when she draped her arm across his chest, for a moment almost wishing that he were braver.

"I think I had a dream about you..." Ashley's voice dissolved into another yawn. "We were dancing."

"I don't dance."

"You were good at it." Ashley propped herself up on one elbow, her back arching as she stretched. "We should go sometime."

"Must have been a dream, then." Despite himself, Andros felt his lips twitch into a smile. "I can't dance."

"I'll teach you," she said, and he just knew that sooner or later he'd find himself dancing with her. "It would be fun."

He doubted it, but Ashley's eyes dropped to his chest then and it slipped from his mind. "Andros?" she asked softly. "Can I..."

He saw her fingers hover just above his skin and swallowed, slowly nodding his head. "If you want to."

Ashley smiled faintly, kissing his lips before trailing her fingers across his skin, tracing the scars on his chest. "You're perfect," she murmured in his ear. "I've never known anyone as gorgeous as you."

He felt himself blush, but impossibly, he knew that she meant the words with all her heart. He didn't understand how or why, but he couldn't bring himself to question it right now. Not when her fingers were trailing slowly over his chest, her touch light as she stared at him with that same look on her face that he had seen the night before when she'd told him that she loved him.

Andros closed his eyes again, letting the feel of her hands on his skin consume his whole world. He rather liked the feeling, he found. Her fingers were soft and warm as they wandered over his upper body, and the feeling was almost soothing.

Her fingers slid across his ribcage and he squirmed away instinctively. Ashley paused, her concern fading into glee when he flushed.

"Ticklish? You?" Her eyes lit up when he shook his head, a grin slowly spreading across her face. "_Really_?"

"No," he muttered. "I'm really not."

"You are." Ashley giggled at him. "You really have no idea how cute you are, do you?"

Andros yelped in reply when she ran her fingers lightly over his ribs another time, batting her hands away. She grinned in delight as she realized just how sensitive he really was, and he squirmed uncomfortably.

"It is time to wake up now."

Andros let out a breath of silent relief when the lights went on and Ashley drew away.

"Deca," she complained, pouting, "you have the worst timing."

* * *

**A/N:** Well, there's the next chapter. I'm not sure when the next one will be up--last three weeks of school and I've got some studying to do that I actually need to do this time. But at least no cliffy this time. ::grins:: Please tell me what you think! 


	25. Chapter 25

**Disclaimer:** THe Power Rangers are not mine.

**Chapter 25**

"Contraceptives are available in the infirmary Synthetron."

Andros choked on his orange juice. "_What?_"

"Contraceptives are--"

"I heard you the first time!"

"You did ask me to repeat myself," Deca reproved him. "And as I believe that it is in your best interest to have the information--"

"Deca." Andros rubbed his forehead with a sigh. "I'll remember that," he said finally, deeming it the quickest way to avoid an unwanted conversation. "Thanks."

"I find it unlikely that you will be in the proper state of mind to remember when you are actually in need of whichever device you decide in favor of," she continued, blinking at him. "My advice--"

"Which I haven't asked for," he muttered. "And I'll be fine. Ashley and I aren't--we haven't...

"And it's none of your business if we have," he added, his appetite suddenly diminished.

"I believe we differ in opinion," Deca replied calmly. "Should Ashley become pregnant--"

"I'm not going to get her pregnant."

"You would find this a simpler process if you would allow me to complete a sentence," she reprimanded him, and he sighed.

"Fine," he muttered. "I'm listening."

"I am confident that neither you nor Ashley wishes for a child at this point in your lives," Deca said. "As such, before you engage in sexual relations, I recommend that you choose a reliable way to prevent an unwanted pregnancy."

Andros groaned. He was tempted to snap something at her and storm off, but he couldn't help thinking that it might be best to get this over with all at once.

"Deca... I appreciate your concern," he said, shaking his head. "But Ashley and I aren't anywhere close to that."

"Are you certain?"

"Very." Andros poked at the food left on his plate with a fork.

"But you do wish for more."

He pushed his hair out of his face with a sigh. If it had been anyone else, he would have ignored the question but Deca had saved his sanity more times than he could remember, had been his only friend for two long, lonely years.

"Maybe," he said slowly. "I don't know."

"Do you feel that you are ready for such a step in your relationship?" she pressed.

"Sometimes," he admitted, staring down at the table. "Other times I don't."

"Would that be the same as a no?"

"Yeah," he sighed. "Probably."

"You have yet to discuss this with Ashley," Deca continued. "I believe that might be wise."

He didn't answer then. It grated his nerves to no end that she expected him to want her to solve all his problems--even when there wasn't a problem--but he kept his mouth shut. Her advice was just helpful enough that he valued her opinion.

Sometimes.

Andros closed his eyes. "I'll keep that in mind," he said, hoping that she caught the note of finality in his voice. Reluctantly, he added, "Thank you, Deca."

"I don't believe that you will."

"That's _enough,_ Deca," he said sharply. "I appreciate your concern, but I'll be fine."

And it was none of her business if he wasn't.

"You should give consideration to Ashley's feelings in this matter. Last time I updated my medical file, human males do not carry the offspring."

"Do you really think I'd _not_ think about Ashley's feelings?" Andros narrowed his eyes, not bothering to keep his irritation hidden any longer. "When have I ever done _anything_ without asking her permission first?"

"That does seem to be a habit of yours," Deca agreed. "I believe you are overcautious more often than not."

"See?" he muttered. "I'd never do a thing to hurt her."

"As you were hurt?"

Andros froze. Slowly, he forced his fists to uncurl, his voice stiff when he spoke. "Nobody hurt me."

"On the contrary, many people hurt you," Deca said.

"Nobody raped me," he said deliberately, his voice a low growl. "Don't pretend that wasn't what you meant. Deca, whatever it is you want to say... will you _please_ just say it already?"

"You are sensitive about this," she observed, and he sighed.

"Yes," he said coolly. "I don't want to talk about this."

"Then why do you continue to respond?"

Andros glared at her. "Leave me alone."

"Morning, everybody... Andros." Zhane muffled a yawn with the back of his hand as he strolled into the room, still in his pajama bottoms. "I thought I heard you talking to someone."

"No." He let out a deep breath, trying to relax. "Just Deca."

"Oh." Zhane yawned another time, sliding onto the stool across from him. "Everyone else at school again?"

"Yeah."

His friend raised an eyebrow. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Andros muttered. "Really nothing."

"You know I don't believe you."

Andros almost smiled. "I know."

* * *

"Ash! Hey, Ash!" 

She leaned against her locker to let Cassie catch up to her, smiling as her friend paused in front of her. "Hey."

"I haven't seen you all day and that's all I get?" Cassie wrinkled her nose, and Ashley grinned. "So, how was your date last night?"

Ashley frowned. "I didn't go on a date last night."

"You were gone from the middle of the afternoon until nighttime and Andros was with you, I asked Deca." Cassie smirked at her. "Now, spill."

"Oh, that." Ashley remembered suddenly how she'd ended up spending all night with Andros in the first place, and sighed. "It was all right."

Cassie didn't look convinced, and Ashley groaned. "It was nice up until the end," she said finally. "We just sat in the park and talked."

"What happened at the end?"

Ashley made a face at her friend. "Someone sort of tried to kill Andros."

"Um..." Cassie took the time to tuck her hair behind her ear before speaking again. "_What?_"

"Some alien guy," Ashley muttered. "He came out of nowhere and attacked us."

"And you didn't _tell_ us?"

"We were all right," she said defensively. "We weren't hurt, and I was worried about Andros... He was pretty upset about it."

"That's... understandable." The Pink Ranger shook her head, a bit of a stunned look on her face. "But, um... why?"

"It's complicated." Ashley scuffed one shoe along the floor, knowing that she shouldn't tell Cassie. She'd promised Andros that she wouldn't and she didn't want to betray the trust that she'd worked so hard to earn. But she didn't want to keep secrets from her best friend, either.

"Complicated how?"

"He didn't really want to talk about it." That seemed to be the safest answer; it was true, and Ashley knew that Cassie would take the hint.

She did, but shot Ashley a sly grin and didn't change the subject much. "So, how's it going with you two?"

Ashley couldn't keep a smile from forming. "I love him," she said. "And yeah, he knows it."

"Ash?"

"I just... I love him," she said again, giggling. "I've never felt this way about anyone, ever."

Cassie's smile seemed a little strained, but she spoke before Ashley could question it. "So you two are pretty serious, then."

"Yeah." Ashley grinned to herself. She would have said more if it hadn't dawned on her then why her friend was unhappy. Mentally kicking herself for being too wrapped up in Andros to notice what was going on in her best friend's life, she ventured, "What about you?"

"What about me?"

"Don't you give me that look!" Ashley exclaimed. "You know what I mean!"

Cassie's smile was rueful. "Yeah. I know."

"So?" Ashley pressed. "What's going on with you?"

Her friend was silent for a moment. "Arietis left again last night."

"Oh." Deflated, Ashley looked down with a sigh. "I'm sorry, Cass."

"Me too." She certainly didn't look upset, and held up her left wrist with a smile. "But... he did leave me this."

Ashley studied the wristband curiously. "What is it?"

"It contacts his ship directly, he said," Cassie explained. "If I need to talk to him."

"That's--" Ashley broke off midsentence when her communicator beeped, shooting an automatic glance over her shoulder to check that no one else had heard. "Come on."

They left the school quickly, ducking out of sight around the side of the building. Checking one more time for anyone around to overhear, Ashley raised her communicator to her mouth.

"What is it, Deca?"

"Darkonda is attacking downtown Angel Grove."

Ashley would have sworn that the AI sounded troubled, and she couldn't blame her. "Is Andros there?"

"Affirmative. Zhane is there as well. TJ and Carlos are on their way."

"We'll be right there," Ashley promised, and nodded at Cassie. "Ready?"

"Let's rocket!" they shouted as one, the words hardly out of their mouths before they were swept up and transported halfway across town.

Ashley's eyes widened in horror the moment the rush of teleportation faded. Andros lay on the ground, Zhane on top of him, neither moving as Darkonda strode towards them.

"Darkonda!" Cassie shouted, darting forward as she drew her blaster.

Ashley took off after her, a wave of relief crashing down upon her as she saw TJ and Carlos running towards them from the opposite direction. Carlos went straight for Andros and Zhane. Ashley spared the motionless Red and Silver Rangers one more look before she was distracted by Darkonda sending a lightning blast straight towards her.

Dodging it, she summoned her Star Slinger. With Darkonda's attention mostly on throwing TJ and Cassie around, she managed to land a few shots before he rounded on her.

She wasn't quick enough this time. Hit squarely in the stomach, Ashley flew backwards a good ten feet. The air whooshed out of her lungs as she landed hard on her back, leaving her gasping for breath.

She rolled over onto her hands and knees, her head lowering as she tried to hack air back into her lungs. Her chest ached and she heard herself wheeze, for a moment almost completely forgetting the fight around her.

A hand gently touched her shoulder, and she looked up in surprise to see Andros there. He squeezed her arm briefly and nodded to her, not moving from her side until she could stand on her own.

"Are you all right?"

"Fine," she gasped out. "You?"

"I will be," he said after a quick pause, saber in hand again. That was probably as much as he was willing to admit.

Ashley shot a quick glance past him to where Carlos was pulling Zhane to his feet, preparing to charge back into battle. Andros was right beside her as she rushed forward, quick enough on his feet to reassure her that he really was all right.

Darkonda seemingly lost all interest in the rest of them the moment Andros was close. Hard, savage swings of his sword came one after the other, quickly enough to make the air whistle loudly. Ashley watched in horror as Andros somehow managed to dodge each attack, expertly retaliating with blows of his own.

"Now's our chance," Carlos said quietly, brandishing his weapon. "He's not looking."

TJ and Cassie stepped closer, and Ashley did the same. "Quadroblaster!"

"Super Silverizer," Zhane muttered from beside them.

"Fire!" TJ shouted.

Ashley tightened her grip as the weapon recoiled, automatically closing her eyes. It couldn't be a safe habit to get into, but sometimes the visor wasn't dark enough. As she blinked, she heard Zhane echo the call. Lowering her head again, she was nearly deafened by the sound of the explosion.

She watched Andros stand still for a moment, his head turned towards the spot where Darkonda had just been. Then without a word, he raised his wrist and tapped at his morpher before vanishing.

Ashley let out a soft sigh as he disappeared, ignoring the urge to run after him. She didn't know what they waited for, but it was a full five minutes before they moved to follow him.

* * *

"Andros?" 

Ashley's voice brought his wandering thoughts back to reality, and Andros paused midway through the weight-lifting exercises he'd been doing. "Hi."

"I wanted to see how you were doing," she said, smiling warmly at him. "You sort of disappeared after the fight."

"I know." He pushed himself up with a quiet groan, his abdomen still sore from the kick he had taken. "I'm fine. I just... I wanted to be alone for awhile."

"Oh." She frowned at him, disappointed, and tried to hide her sigh. "I'll leave you alone, then."

"You don't have to," he said. "If you don't want to, I mean... You look like you're on your way to bed."

"Couldn't fall asleep." She shrugged her shoulders, pushing her tangled hair away from her face with one hand.

Her shirt rode up with the motion and Andros swallowed hard, his throat suddenly dry. Her stomach was smooth and tanned, and he lowered his eyes as he was struck by the strangest desire to kiss her bellybutton.

He felt himself blush fiercely and could only hope that she didn't notice. Rubbing sweaty palms dry on his sweatpants, he stared hard at a spot on the floor halfway between them, unsure of what to do now.

"Andros?"

"I--I'm fine," he muttered. "Really, I..." He snuck a quick glance at her face, looking away when he saw her hide a smile. "That... wasn't what you asked, was it?"

"No." Ashley giggled softly as she stepped closer, crouching down in front of him. "You know, you're sort of cute when you're blushing."

He felt his face burn hotter at her words, squirming uncomfortably when she laid a hand on his. "Ash..."

"Well, you are." She seemed pleased when that coaxed a smile out of him, tugging his hand towards her lips. "And would you like to know what I was asking you a minute ago?"

"Yeah," he said sheepishly, eyes on his lap as she pressed a kiss to the back of his hand.

Ashley giggled at him, nuzzling his fingers with her lips now. "Tomorrow's the last day of school before winter break," she explained. "I know that you're probably not big on parties, but there's going to be one, sort of, at the Surf Spot tomorrow night. You don't have to go if you don't want to, but I was sort of hoping..."

She looked at him expectantly, and he sighed. "Ash..."

"It's all right." She kissed his thumb before dropping his hand, smiling at him as she straightened up. "I didn't think it was your kind of thing."

She was right about that, but that didn't keep him from feeling guilty. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad... "How long is it?"

Ashley's face lit up. "From seven until eleven, but I wasn't planning on showing up until nine or so."

Two hours. Andros supposed he could stand it for that long if he had to, and if it meant that much to her... He sighed. "All right."

She beamed at him, leaning down to press her mouth firmly to his. "You're the greatest, have I told you that?"

He bit his lip to keep from smiling too much as she sat next to him on the weight bench. "Maybe."

"Well, you are." Ashley grinned at him happily, reaching for his hand. "I love you."

"I--I love you too," he said quietly, carefully. He felt his heart pound furiously in his chest the way it had the day before, but the words came more easily this time than the last.

Ashley leaned closer to kiss him again, her lips touching his lightly in a teasing kiss. Andros felt himself reach for her when she did it again, his hands on her shoulders to keep her from moving away again.

She slid closer to drape her arms around his shoulders. Andros caught his breath as she turned her head to kiss his jaw, her lips trailing from his chin to his ear and back again, her breath hot on his skin as his heart started thudding furiously.

"A--ash," he stuttered, hands clenching on her shoulders. "What..."

She stopped what she was doing and straightened up, her cheeks flushing pink as he met her eyes. "Sorry," she murmured. "I guess I got a bit carried away."

"It's all right." Andros swallowed, not quite brave enough to ask her to do it again. "I--I didn't mind."

She giggled and he just knew that he was blushing again, but he could hardly feel it beneath the rush of everything else. He closed his eyes to try and clear his head, but all he could feel was her kisses on his skin.

"Ash..." He bit his lip, staring at her uncertainly. "Can I... I mean..."

Ashley lowered her head, fluttering her eyelashes at him with a soft laugh. "You _did_ like that," she said, looking so delighted that he didn't feel half as hopeless he had been a moment before. "And yes, you can."

The doubt came rushing back, and he stared at his hands. "I... I--I've never... I don't know how to," he muttered, surprised to see her take his hands.

"Well..." She squeezed his fingers between her own, her thumbs caressing the back of his hands. "What do you want?"

"I..." He still wanted to kiss her bellybutton. Andros felt his face redden and shook his head, not about to tell her that. "I just want to kiss you."

"All right." She leaned closer and kissed his mouth, his jaw, murmuring in his ear, "Just do what comes naturally."

He slid a hand around to cup the back of her head, his other hand on her back as he mimicked the way she'd kissed him, his lips following her jaw to that soft spot just beneath her ear. Ashley made a quiet sound when he kissed her there, and he paused.

He did it again, tentatively flicking his tongue across her earlobe. Her groan made him a little more daring, and he drew her earlobe into his mouth to suckle gently, his insides trembling at her soft gasp of surprise.

Her hands slid through his hair as he touched his lips to hers another time. He shivered, starting when Ashley nipped gently on his lip. He was too surprised to move when she bit down a little harder, her tongue running back and forth across his bottom lip until his lips parted.

He jumped again when her tongue touched his. Her arms tightened around his shoulders, his sweatshirt bunched in her hands as she held him in place. Relaxing, Andros prodded her tongue tentatively with his own, hearing her moan softly deep in her throat.

He still didn't know what he was doing but Ashley yielded control of the kiss to him, and he was only too happy to explore. His hands were still on her shoulders and he tried to pull her closer, suddenly craving her in a way that he couldn't explain.

He was hot all over as he cradled the back of her head, holding her to him. Something inside him quivered when she pushed back, screaming for more as Ashley slid her arms all the way around him. She was practically in his lap now, her mouth pressed unrelentingly against his in an unmistakably hungry kiss.

The dizzying sense of just kissing her, just feeling and just wanting, vanished abruptly. Ashley drew away, her arms falling from around him. Hesitantly, he looked up to catch her eye, startled to see a smile on her face.

"That wasn't hard, was it?"

Andros just shook his head. He didn't trust himself to speak.

She sat there smiling at him for awhile longer, her hands in his now. Andros looked down to watch her thumbs rub slow circles against his palms. Impulsively, he raised one hand to his lips and kissed her fingers, holding her hand to his cheek when he heard her giggle.

Ashley squeezed his hand, still happy as she sighed. "I could stay here with you all night," she murmured. "And that's why I should probably go to bed now."

He nodded slowly, unable to keep himself from smiling when she reached out to stroke a hand through his hair. "Good night, Ash."

"You have pretty hair." She giggled and leaned in to kiss him one more time, a soft brush of her lips over his that half of him longed to turn into something more.

The other half of him was level-headed and rational now, and he did nothing to keep her from standing.

"I'll see you in the morning," she murmured, giving him a little wave as she left the room.

Andros stared after her, unsettled. He hadn't expected it to be that... _easy. _Now that he knew it was, he wasn't sure any longer that he didn't want more. He doubted that sex would be as simple as whatever they'd just done now, but it suddenly didn't seem so impossible anymore.

Grudgingly, he admitted that Deca was right. If he was feeling this way, then he _did_ need to talk to Ashley about it, before he went too far and did something that she didn't like. It wasn't fair of him not to say anything.

He let out a sigh and stood, vaguely surprised that his legs were steady. Not the least bit sleepy, he headed to his room. Without being told, Deca locked the door behind him and brightened the lights to quarter power. Andros paused only to kick off his shoes and socks before sliding beneath the covers and making himself comfortable.

He wanted her here with him. Andros groaned aloud as the realization hit him, rolling over to bury his face into the pillow. He wanted her here with him, just sleeping in his arms. He didn't want to be alone any longer.

But he wasn't really alone. That revelation hit him harder than the last, and he bit back a smile as he turned onto his back. He hadn't been alone for months and he had more friends now than he ever had.

That didn't stop him from wanting anything more. Andros didn't much care whether he was attractive or not. He despised looking at himself in the mirror because he hated to remember, hated to accept that he hadn't been strong enough, hated to accept that people had hurt him.

The scars themselves hadn't bothered him so much until he'd realized that he would have to show Ashley and somehow, she could look at him and still say "perfect." He didn't know how she could, but because she did--was it really too much to hope for that she would want more?

He didn't know, and he didn't feel at all comfortable with pressing her for an answer. Andros sighed. He loved her, and he was absolutely sure that she loved him; he didn't have it in him to question that. What he didn't know was where that left them and until he asked her outright, he supposed that meant he followed her lead and just waited to see where this took them.


	26. Chapter 26

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the Power Rangers.

**A/N:** I've gone back and tweaked the end of the last chapter a little bit. Ashley's leaving was, as Chylea3784 pointed out to me, a little bit abrupt. Hopefully it flows better now. Enjoy:)

**Chapter 26**

Waffles weren't half bad. Zhane added a liberal amount of whipped cream and another spoonful of whatever it was Ashley was chopping up, taking great relish in his next bite.

Ashley giggled at him, passing over a napkin. "You have whipped cream on your nose."

He ignored her. "Can I have some more of those?"

"It's sliced banana," she said, and passed him the bowl. "Here."

She added a dollop of whipped cream to her own waffles and seemed satisfied. Zhane, however, continued experimenting for awhile longer, until the waffle itself was buried beneath its toppings.

"It's good," he said, swallowing. "I like it."

"I'm glad." Ashley forgot him completely the moment Andros wandered in, hopping up to wrap him in a hug. "Morning."

Zhane polished off his waffle while he ignored them. Still hungry, he looked towards Ashley's untouched waffle and debated whether or not to get up for another one or just take hers. When it appeared that she wouldn't be leaving Andros alone long enough to eat, he slid her plate closer to him.

"Hey!"

He was half finished by the time she noticed, and he looked up at her guiltily. "I was hungry?"

Ashley rolled her eyes at him. "Deca, just give me a banana. I don't have time to eat a waffle anymore."

Zhane looked back at Andros, surprised to see him glaring at Deca. "What now?"

"Nothing," his friend muttered. "Really, it's nothing."

"In order to meet optimum hygienic standards, bedsheets must be changed at least twice per week and bathrooms should be cleaned every other day," Deca lectured him. "You had not done either in a week."

"Shut up, Deca."

"I've never cleaned my bathroom," Zhane mused out loud. "It does it on it's own. Can't remember the last time I changed my sheets, either."

Andros shot murderous glares at them both. "I don't care."

"Look at it this way." Ashley paused beside her boyfriend while she peeled the banana, sliding an arm around his shoulders while she took a bite. "She doesn't care if Zhane gets sick."

"I'd like it better if she didn't care," he muttered, and she giggled at him.

"Silly." Ashley gave his shoulder a pat while she grabbed her backpack. "I'm late... Here, want this?"

"You're in a good mood today," Zhane remarked cheerfully, as he watched Andros glare sullenly at the banana in his hand. "Eat it, it's good."

"I'm not hungry."

"Ah, you just came here to make out with Ash before she left." Zhane nodded approvingly. "You're learning."

Andros frowned at him. "Make out?"

"It's what they call it here." He shrugged. "You know, the kind of kissing where you're not really kissing."

"That's not what we were doing."

"Your loss, it's fun," he said brightly, earning himself another glare. "Well, it is!"

"You would know."

Zhane smirked in reply. "You should try it sometime."

Deca spoke up before Andros could retort. "It is irresponsible to--"

"Deca," Andros snapped at her. "Be quiet. That's an order."

Zhane raised an eyebrow. Andros didn't speak, and Zhane snickered. "Well, what have you been up to?"

"Quiet."

"Is that an order?" Amused, Zhane just stared at him.

Andros contemplated that for a moment. "Yes."

"I'm ignoring it."

"I can't believe I'm wasting my time with this," the Red Ranger muttered. "I have work to do."

"You always say that. Sooner or later, you'll need a better excuse."

Andros glowered at him. "Don't you have something else to do?"

"Not really, no."

To prove his point, he followed Andros to the Bridge and slung himself into his chair, feet propped up on the consoles. "I've been thinking," he announced abruptly. "About Karone."

And he'd thought Andros had been tense before. "What about her?"

"Andros." Zhane sighed. "She's your sister, but I love her too and I want to know. Do we try to get her back, or do we wait?"

"I..." Helplessly, Andros shrugged his shoulders. "I don't want to sneak onto the Dark Fortress again. We were lucky to get away the first time. But I can't just give up on her."

"I didn't say anything about giving up," Zhane said sharply. "You've spent how many years looking for her? You wouldn't give up on her, ever."

"She's the only family I've got left," Andros murmured. "I want her back, and I don't know how to help her."

"You'll think of something."

"But I haven't yet." Andros glanced down at his hands. "I had a brother, did I tell you that?"

_Wait, what? _Zhane blinked. "I think you forgot that little detail."

"His name was Taren," Andros said quietly. "He was two years old and then my parents house was blown up."

"Oh."

"I didn't even know about him until a few months ago." Andros poked at the console, speaking flatly. "I--I don't know why it bothers me so much."

"Wow," Zhane murmured. He laid a hand on Andros's shoulder, keeping it there when Andros didn't pull away. "I'm sorry."

"Yeah," Andros sighed. "Me too."

"Hey," Zhane said. "Are you okay?"

Andros nodded. "I don't think about it very often."

Andros was better at giving hints than taking them, Zhane decided in vague amusement. Not that he'd been subtle at all...

"So," he said, "how'd Ashley talk you into going to a dance?"

Andros frowned at him. "She didn't say it was a dance."

"Well, that answers my question." He smirked at his friend, earning himself an eyeroll. "People dance at parties, you knew that."

"I don't know how to dance," Andros muttered. "And I don't care to learn, either."

"Ashley'd like it," he remarked, just to see how Andros would react.

"I..." Trapped, Andros looked away. "I know..."

"It's not that bad," Zhane said. "Just think about it for a bit."

"I..." Andros groaned. "She told me when we woke up yesterday that she had this dream..."

His voice trailed off, and Zhane raised an eyebrow. "You woke up with her yesterday?"

Andros was silent, and Zhane snorted with laughter. "You'd love what I'm thinking right now."

"Somehow, I doubt it," Andros muttered dryly. "I'm not sleeping with her."

"You're awfully defensive about it," Zhane mused. Andros narrowed his eyes, and Zhane shrugged. "Well, you _are_."

Andros continued glaring at him, and he sighed. "I suppose you'd be upset with me if I told everyone you're having wild sex with Ashley? I thought so," he said quickly, when Andros didn't look amused. "What's wrong with you today?"

"Zhane..." Andros looked down at his feet when his voice died, his shoulders slumping. "I need to talk to you."

That didn't sound promising, but Zhane only nodded. "What's wrong?"

"I couldn't sleep last night," Andros muttered. "I kept dreaming about--I don't remember what I was dreaming about. It doesn't matter. It kept changing to us back on KO-35, a few days before..."

Zhane nodded, and Andros continued. "We were at the Rangerdome trying to come up with a battle plan, and then there was someone who wanted to talk to me."

While Andros paused for breath, Zhane debated whether or not to keep quiet. Andros looked down hesitantly, and that was the deciding factor. Zhane shifted in his seat with a sigh.

"It was Reya who wanted to see you." He picked up where Andros had left off. "She said it was time we put our differences aside. You said no, she left, and then two days later Dark Spectre invaded."

Andros's head snapped up, his mouth slack in ill-disguised shock. "You _knew?_"

"I was listening at the door the whole time," he admitted. "You walked right past me on your way out. I didn't think until later that you hadn't seen me."

"But..." Andros stared at him weakly. "Why didn't you say anything?"

"At the time, I agreed with you." Zhane couldn't quite look his friend in the eye. "I thought we could win on our own. We'd never needed anyone before."

"I should have known better," Andros muttered.

"Maybe," Zhane said carefully. "But you're not any more responsible for what happened down there than I am--I was older than you, I'd been a Ranger longer. It's _not_ your fault, and we'll get KO-35 back."

"It doesn't change anything," Andros told him. "So many of the deaths there were unnecessary."

"Dark Spectre killed them, not you," Zhane said sharply. "You just couldn't save them."

"There isn't much of a difference." Andros shook his head with a sigh. "I'm sorry, Zhane."

"Don't be." He couldn't quite figure out what the apology was for, but what else was he supposed to say? "This was years ago, Andros. Let it go--just know that as much as I love you, if you do it again..."

He left the threat incomplete, but it produced the desired effect. Andros smiled faintly. "Thank you."

Zhane nodded slowly. "Now," he said, changing the subject before he gave away a few secrets of his own, "you still have a few hours. I'm sure Deca will give you dancing lessons if you ask nicely. Of course, first you have to apologize for so rudely shutting her up earlier, but all you'll have to do to gain her forgiveness is eat rotten spinach for a few days and take ice-cold showers."

"I'll let Ashley explain it to me," Andros decided, glancing up at Deca's nearest eye with a grimace that brought a grin to Zhane's face.

* * *

Ashley smoothed down her shirt and frowned at herself in the mirror. Maybe she shouldn't have turned her down when Cassie had offered to help her get ready after all... She sighed and tugged on her shirt another time. Andros would like it, she hoped, and quickly checked her hair and makeup one more time. 

Her jacket over one arm, Ashley left her room and paused at the next door over. "Andros?"

The door slid open a few moments later and he stepped out, wrinkling his nose as he gave the neck of his shirt a tug. Ashley smiled at him and he stopped, his eyes widening as his gaze landed on her shirt.

"You look..." Andros hesitated, his eyes drifting up to her face. "You look nice."

"Thanks," she murmured, sliding her fingers into his. "So do you."

"Ash?"

She glanced back at him when he pulled on her hand, curious when she saw him blush. "Yeah?"

"You--you look pretty in red," he said softly.

Delighted, she laughed and squeezed his hand, smiling at him as Deca teleported the two of them to the alley directly behind the Surf Spot. As her vision solidified, she caught Andros smiling back at her.

A few steps closer to the building, though, he looked more apprehensive than anything else. "Ash," he said, pausing on the sidewalk, "I wish you'd have told me that this was a dance."

He didn't sound upset, but Ashley felt instantly guilty. "Zhane told you, then?"

"Yeah." He reached for her other hand and held it in his, searching her eyes. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I..." She looked down and sighed. "I didn't mean not to tell you," she said finally, but that wasn't exactly true. "I mean... I'm not going to make you dance if you don't feel comfortable with it."

"I..." Andros shook his head, a half-smile on his face. "But you want to dance with me."

She looked at him hopefully. "If you wouldn't mind."

"I--I'll think about it," he said, and she knew that was all she would get.

"Love you." She pulled him closer to kiss him, and glanced towards the building. "Ready to go in?"

He nodded, his hand still in hers as they rounded the corner and walked up the steps. Out of the corner of her eye, Ashley saw him pull awkwardly at the neck of his shirt, and smiled to herself.

"You might be more comfortable if you undid the first few buttons," she suggested as they walked through the door. "I know I can hardly breathe in button-down shirts."

He let out a deep breath as he unbuttoned the top two or three buttons, and Ashley smiled to herself. "You look much better," she said, and wrapped an arm loosely around his waist. "You want something to eat?"

"Not right now," he said, his eyes wandering around the room. Nervously, he glanced back at her. "When you said dancing, you didn't mean like that... right?"

She followed his gaze towards the dance area and shook her head. "Not really, no. Unless you wanted to," she added dubiously. "I was thinking something more like this..."

Taking a step closer, she draped both arms around his neck and touched her lips to his. "Better?"

"Better." He nodded, a smile on his face as she unwound her arms.

She thought he was about to say more, but someone called her name then and he looked down. Ashley glanced over her shoulder and smiled at her brother's friend.

"Hey, Ash," Laurel greeted her brightly. "How _are_ you? I never see you anymore, you're never at home!"

"Oh, you know..." Ashley shrugged. "I've been away a lot... looking at schools," she said in a sudden flash of inspiration.

"But you've already been accepted at AGU and UCLA, haven't you?" Laurel looked at her, puzzled. "Jeff said you were only trying to decide whether you wanted to stay in Angel Grove or move away."

"Oh, yeah, I meant..." Ashley wracked her brain, making a mental note that her brother would pay for that. "Well, I was thinking that I might want to..."

"She might want to be closer to me," Andros spoke up. "I'll be north of here."

Ashley nodded, relieved that he knew enough to say north instead of south. Laurel looked interested, but her boyfriend wandered by in search of her then, and she went off with Elijah.

"Thanks," she murmured, letting out a deep breath. "Just for that, I won't make you dance."

Andros smiled, but he shook his head when a slower song started. "You'll have to show me."

"It's easy," she promised him, as they made their way towards the dance floor. "Here, just relax... put your arms around me."

He wrapped both his arms loosely around her waist and she stepped closer into his embrace to rest her head on his shoulder. "Just like that," she said, hugging his shoulders. "Now we just sort of move back and forth... see, it's not so bad."

"I guess not," he murmured, holding her a little closer.

She decided not to tell him that this wasn't really dancing. Ashley sighed softly and closed her eyes, swaying back and forth with him in time to the music. Andros lifted a hand to touch her hair and she smiled, looking up in annoyance when another hand tapped her on the shoulder.

"Hi, Brody," she said politely, her smile forced as she looked at her classmate. "It's good to see you."

"How about a dance?" he suggested, slinging an arm around her shoulders. "Ash, come on."

"Thanks, but I'm really on a date right now," she said, taking a step closer to Andros. "I'll see you after New Year's."

"A date?" he repeated, screwing up his face in thought as he looked Andros up and down. "With this guy? Really?"

"Yes, with this guy," she said impatiently. "His name is Andros."

"Funny name," Brody remarked. "How about getting together sometime tomorrow?"

"Um... no." She glanced back at Andros to see him glaring at the floor, and squeezed his hand. "I have plans."

Brody frowned at her, then sighed loudly and turned away. Ashley shook her head and turned back to Andros, hugging him hard.

"Sorry about that," she said. "I can't believe I dated him once."

Andros frowned, but a startled yelp from behind them stole her attention. Ashley turned to see Brody sprawled on the floor, staring at his feet in surprise. His shoes had been tied together by the laces.

Andros was perfectly innocent when she looked at him suspiciously, and she had to smile as she shook her head. "That wasn't very nice," she said mildly, no real reproof in her voice. "He could have been hurt or something, and someone could have seen you."

"Sorry," he offered, not sounding it at all. "I won't do it to anyone else."

"Good." She glanced over her shoulder to see Brody and a few of his friends coming towards them, and sighed. "C'mon, let's get out of here before you cause any more trouble."

"Sorry," he said again, this time looking slightly ashamed of himself. "I didn't mean to ruin your night..."

"You didn't," she promised him as they slipped out the door. "You don't seem like the type to do that, though... It's almost cute."

He shrugged his shoulders once, then raised his communicator to his mouth. Ashley found herself back on the Megaship a moment later, and reached to grab his hand before he could walk away.

"Hey," she said softly. "Thanks for dancing with me."

Andros smiled at her, then frowned and looked down. "You... you said you dated him?" he said hesitantly.

Ashley sighed. "Four years ago."

"Oh." Andros shrugged. "I was just wondering."

"We weren't ever serious, if that's what you meant," she said. "We went out for a week."

He nodded slowly, uncertainty on his face as he watched her. "Can I... ask you something?"

"Anything." She smiled at him. "What is it?"

Andros looked around the empty corridor and shook his head. "Not here."

"Your room is closest," she said, and he nodded. Once she was settled comfortably on his bed, she turned to him curiously. "What is it?"

"You said you weren't serious about him," Andros said quietly, not quite looking at her. "I was just wondering... how serious have you ever been about anyone?" He paused. "I'm allowed to ask you that, right?

"Oh," he added. "Deca? Go away."

Ashley laughed softly as she glanced over her shoulder in time to see the red light blink out. "You're allowed to ask me that," she assured him, and sighed. "I like being in love, Andros."

He didn't look surprised, and sat back, silently waiting for her to continue. Ashley tucked loose hair behind her ear, shrugging slightly. "I've been in love before and if we broke up, I'd fall in love again. That came out wrong," she muttered, feeling herself blush. "I didn't mean..."

"I know." Andros smiled a little. "It's okay."

"Sorry," she said sheepishly, and decided that maybe the less she said, the better. "If what you really want to know is whether I've had sex with any of them--no, I haven't. I sort of thought that you knew that."

"I did," he told her. "But... I wouldn't be surprised if you had, either."

"Really?" She frowned at him. "Why not?"

"Because," he answered instantly, "you aren't afraid to show people how you love them." He studied her face for a few moments. "You look angry," he muttered. "If I just insulted you, that's not what I meant to do."

"That's... really sweet." Ashley stared at him for a moment before she broke into a smile. "I'm not angry. A lot of people are surprised, actually," she admitted. "But most of them can't say it as nicely as you just did."

Andros frowned at her. "What do they say to you?"

"Nothing too horrible," she said hastily, and reached to touch his hand. "Relax, you don't need to go tie their shoes together."

He blushed and she giggled, scooting forward to hug him. "You're cute."

Andros smiled at her, and she placed a kiss on his lips. "Does that answer your question?" she wanted to know.

He nodded. "Thanks."

"Welcome. And what about you?" She added the last impulsively, and with a smile--he'd told her himself that he'd never kissed anyone but her. She just wanted to hear him say it again, but when he frowned and looked away, Ashley knew that something was wrong.

"Give me a minute," he muttered, and she nodded.

"Take all the time you need," she said quietly, troubled.

Deep in thought, he studied his hands intently, his face stricken. Ashley felt her stomach twist as her mind started jumping to conclusions that she could only hope were far from the truth.

"You don't--Andros, you don't _have_ to tell me anything," she added hesitantly. "Not if you don't want to."

"No," he disagreed, his voice no louder than hers had been. "You were honest with me. It's only fair that I'm honest with you."

Ashley nodded her head, guiltily wondering why she couldn't have just kept her mouth shut.

"I--I told you I was one of the lucky ones," he said finally. "I really was, Ash."

The sick feeling lessened a little. "What does that mean, exactly?" Ashley asked carefully.

"Nobody... nobody raped me," he said with some difficulty, and Ashley allowed herself to breathe again. "But--" Andros looked away and closed his eyes, his hands clenched in his lap as he confessed, "Almost."

Ashley swallowed, struggling against the urge to fling her arms around him and hold him tight. "Almost?" she ventured timidly, as so many questions that she wasn't going to ask him popped into her mind.

He nodded once. "Yes," he said stiffly. "Please don't ask."

"I--I won't." Horrified, Ashley just stared at him. "Andros..."

"I thought you should know," he said, eyes still on his lap. "I've never told anyone before."

"I..." Ashley touched his shoulder gently, somehow managing to smile at him when he looked at her. "Thank you for telling me," she said softly. "I... can I hug you?"

He nodded silently, and she slid closer to wrap her arms around him. Andros sighed into her hair as he returned the hug.

"You took that better than I thought you would," he said a few moments later. "It--it doesn't bother you?"

"Of course it does," she said, frowning as she held him closer. "I hate it so much that people hurt you. But I love you, and I wouldn't love you any less because of anything that anyone did to you."

A tiny smile formed on his lips, and he very gently kissed her forehead. "Thank you," he murmured. "And I love you too."

If she'd ever doubted he meant the words, the trust he'd showed her now erased them from her memory. "Yeah." She hugged him harder, unwilling to release him for anything. "I know."


	27. Chapter 27

**Disclaimer:** The Power Rangers aren't mine, no money made.

**Chapter 27**

"Don't you know what it means to be on vacation?" Bleary-eyed, Ashley lifted her head to glare at Deca. "Let me sleep."

"You've been allowed an extra hour," Deca replied smugly. "I also thought you would appreciate the fact that Andros has spent the last seventy-five minutes and thirty-four seconds pacing outside your door."

"He has?" Ashley stared blankly at the camera. "Why?"

"It is my assumption that he will tell you himself once you exit the room."

Ashley sighed, then scrambled out of bed. "Tell him I'll be out in ten minutes."

It ended up being twenty-three, as Deca informed her later, mostly due to the fact that it had taken her fifteen minutes to find her left shoe. Andros was the first thing she saw as she left her room, seated cross-legged on the floor with his back to the wall.

Her face broke into a smile when he looked up at her. "What are you doing?"

"I couldn't sleep," he said, rearranging his legs. "I wanted to talk to you."

"Everything all right?"

"Yeah." He nodded slowly. "Actually, I was wondering if you'd help me with something."

"Of course I will," she said. "What is it?"

He frowned then, and sighed. "I'll show you."

"All right..." She looked at him curiously, leaning down to offer him a hand up. He caught her eye as he took her hand and she had to smile, remembering how he'd rolled his eyes at her that first day.

His bedroom door slid open when they paused in front of it, and Ashley's mouth dropped open. Andros's room was normally neat as a pin--a fact that she attributed more to Deca than anything else, but now she could hardly step into the room without tripping.

She turned to look at him. "What happened in here?"

"I told you I couldn't sleep," he said sheepishly. Quietly, he added, "I needed to remind myself how much I'd be wasting if I gave up on Karone now."

"Andros," Ashley sighed. She took a step into the room, careful not to step on one of the many maps spread out across the room. "Since when have you given up on her?"

"I was talking to Zhane yesterday," he said, stooping down to clear the floor. "He asked what I was going to do about her, and I didn't know. I still don't."

"Oh..." Ashley watched him for a few moments longer, folding her arms over her chest. "Not knowing what to do isn't the same as giving up."

"It feels the same," he muttered. "She's still over there, and I don't have a way to get her back."

"Hey," she said, "come here."

He took a few steps closer and let her hold him, slowly moving to return the hug. Ashley squeezed him tight with a sigh, rubbing her palms over his shoulders.

"It's all right," she murmured, kissing his ear lightly. "You'll get her back, I promise."

He only sighed in reply. Ashley frowned, but only held him closer. His breath caught when she lifted a hand to stroke his hair, and she swore she felt his shoulders shake, but he didn't cry.

"Will you be okay?" she asked finally.

"I'm fine."

He wasn't, but she let him draw away. Andros smiled at her faintly, lifting her hand to kiss her fingers. "Thank you for talking with me last night," he said quietly.

Ashley just nodded. She'd sat with him the night before and they'd talked about everything but him and his past. She squeezed his fingers as she pulled her hand away, touching a quick kiss to his lips.

"I love you."

Andros's smile widened. "Thanks," he said again, and she nodded slowly.

"Do you need some help putting all of this away?"

He looked sheepish now as he glanced around the room, nodding his head yes. "Thanks. Again," he added, and she laughed.

"Where does it go?"

"Roll up the maps. There's a holder for them in the corner," he said. "I'll clean up everything else."

She did as he asked, watching enviously as he swept up half the room without moving an inch from where he stood. Maybe she should start practicing her telekinesis with him again, Ashley mused to herself. She decided against it a few moments later--all she really wanted was time to spend alone with him, and all she had to do for that now was to take his hand and drag him off.

Ashley smiled at the thought, then forgot it as she took a closer look at one of the charts in her hand. "Andros?"

He looked over at her, and she pointed at the writing scrawled along the top. "That family you were looking for--are you still?"

Guilt crossed his face and he sighed. "After I found Karone..."

"I was just wondering," she said, rolling the map tightly enough that it would fit in the holder. "You should give yourself a break."

"They saved my life, Ash," he said quietly, eyes on his feet. "I owe them at least that much."

She nodded her head slowly and kept quiet. Ashley understood perfectly why he wanted this, but... this was only going to make him more serious.

"I hope you find them, then," she said. She hesitated a moment. "I'll help you, if you want."

"You don't need to do that," Andros said quietly. He smiled tightly and added, "But thanks for the offer."

"Are you sure?" She frowned at the pained look on his face. "Are you okay?"

"It's a complicated story," he muttered. "You wouldn't like it."

Ashley didn't doubt that. "Do you want to talk about it?" she asked anyway. Half-hoping that he'd say no and fully expecting it, she was surprised when he hesitated.

"Ash--" He stopped abruptly and lowered his eyes. "I tried to escape once."

"Tried?" Her stomach flip-flopped when he nodded stiffly.

"I didn't get very far."

Ashley didn't dare ask what they'd done to him after they'd caught him. Andros sighed and shook his head. "That doesn't really matter," he muttered. "Except that Val and his son crash-landed a few days later.

"They were on their way to KO-35 when they were shot down," he explained. "Eiran was assigned to the same house as I was. His father snuck in. I overheard them. They didn't have many choices after that."

"So they took you with them?"

"It would have been simpler for them to kill me," Andros said softly. "It took me years to understand why they didn't."

"Obviously, they didn't," she said, more hopeful now. "What changed their mind?"

"Nothing did." Andros let out a deep breath. "They meant for the shuttle they put me on to be shot down as a decoy."

"But what--_what?_"

"I told you," he muttered. "It didn't work out that way. They were the ones that got caught and I got away."

"I..." Ashley gaped at him in horror, suddenly nauseous. "But... they were going to kill you."

"Yes."

"They were going to kill you," she repeated dimly, still in disbelief. The hair on her arms stood on end as she stared at him, cold all over. "Andros..."

She crossed the room in two short steps and hugged him tight, her eyes burning. "Andros..."

"I didn't mean to make you cry," he murmured, slowly wrapping his arms around her shoulders. "Ash, don't... It was five years ago. I got out of there."

"I'm sorry," she whispered. She wiped her eyes with one hand, holding him closer with her other arm. Ashley sniffled quietly before letting out a deep breath, chin on his shoulder. "I love you."

"I know." He kissed her ear with a sigh, his grip tightening around her. "I love you."

She smiled a little as she stepped back, her palms resting on his shoulders. "I--I'm very glad you're here," she said awkwardly. "That you're okay."

"Me too," he said softly. Andros kissed her and then let her go with a sigh. "Ash, I..."

She pressed her mouth to his when his voice trailed off, sliding her arms back around him. When Andros stood there just letting her kiss him, she drew away only to find him smiling at her.

"What?"

"Nothing," he breathed, and kissed her.

He nipped at her lip and she jumped at the sudden sensation, her hands clenching on his shoulders. Something inside tingled when he kissed her harder and stepped into her, hands settling on her hips.

He was the one who started moving them towards the bed. Ashley felt the back of her knees hit the edge of his bed and sank down onto it without thinking, dragging him down with her.

She could barely think as his lips left hers to press urgent kisses down her jaw and back again. His body half covered hers before she noticed and even then, dizzily kissing him senseless seemed more important than anything...

He was the one to stop. Andros tore himself away from her abruptly, his breathing ragged as he nearly jumped away from her.

"An--" His name became a gasp of alarm as his head cracked against the bottom of the second bunk. Andros doubled over with a small groan, muttering to himself in a language Ashley didn't understand as she reached out towards him.

"Andros?"

He hissed softly and flinched when she pulled his hand out of the way to lightly run her fingers over the area herself. "_Don't!_"

"I--I'm sorry," she murmured, flushing sheepishly. "I'll get you some ice."

"No." His hands clenched over her wrists. "No, I'm fine."

"Are you sure?" She frowned at him skeptically. "That was a loud crack."

"Zhane will tell you I'm just that hard-headed," Andros muttered, and she couldn't help but laugh a little.

"You're really okay?"

"I'll be fine." He sat up rubbing his head gingerly, wincing. "Really, Ash."

Ashley leaned over to hug him, a bit surprised when he let her pull him into her arms. She wasn't complaining, though, and held him tight with a sigh. "Andros... what happened?"

He was silent for a moment. "I sat up too fast."

"Not what I meant," she said softly, slowly rubbing a hand across his back. "Please talk to me."

"I'm sorry," he muttered. "I--I just... I can't think around you," he burst out, and Ashley turned toward him in surprise.

"That doesn't have to be a bad thing."

"But..." Andros moaned quietly when she rubbed the small bump on his head. "That feels better."

"I'm glad." She ran her fingers through his hair, tilting her head against his. "What's bothering you?"

"I..." Andros stared at his lap. "I--I can't think when I kiss you."

"Oh." Ashley felt herself blush, not letting him go despite her sudden awkwardness. "Andros, I..."

"I shouldn't have said that." He sighed. "Ash--"

"No." She cut him off quickly, shaking her head. "I guess we should talk."

Clearly unhappy as he nodded, Andros straightened up. "I'm not sure what to say."

"Neither do I." Ashley bit her lip. "Well... would you... I mean--do you want to--do you want us to sleep together?"

Andros looked intensely uncomfortable, and she quickly added, "It doesn't have to be a yes. You don't have to know--I'm not sure I do."

"I..." He shook his head slowly. "I don't think I do, either."

"Okay..." Ashley let her voice trail off when she realized she didn't have a clue what to say. She thought for a moment, speaking when he didn't seem to want to. "Look, Andros. I love you. It's so easy to just kiss you, and then..."

"It's all you can think about," Andros finished for her, his cheeks flushing. "I know."

"Yeah." She smiled a little, looking down at her lap. "It wouldn't be hard to get carried away."

"And you'd regret that?"

"I--I don't know," she said. "Probably not."

"What would... what would make you regret it?" he asked tentatively.

Ashley shook her head. "I don't know."

"Neither do I." Andros glanced down at his lap with a frown. "I only don't want to..."

"Yeah?" she prompted when he stopped. "What?"

"I've never been in love before," he said quietly.

Ashley brushed her fingertips against his cheek, smiling at him when he looked at her. "You're not doing so badly."

He squeezed her hand, his thumb lightly stroking her fingers. "I do love you, Ash."

"I know." She kissed his lips, resting her chin on his shoulder. "I love you too."

He tightened his grip on her hand. "I don't want to do anything to ruin this."

"Hey," she said. "Listen to me. You're not going to ruin anything."

"I'd never try to." He smiled at her slowly, then shook his head. "We haven't decided anything, have we?"

"We don't have to decide anything right now," she said thoughtfully. "But--if we have to talk ourselves into it..."

"Then we shouldn't do it," he finished for her. He looked just the tiniest bit disappointed and she giggled, nuzzling closer to him.

"We have plenty of time for that," she said, almost shy as she looked at him. "Want to hear something?"

"Yes?" he said uncertainly.

Ashley laughed softly. "It feels like I could kiss you forever, but--" She tightened her arms around his waist. "This means more."

Andros was silent for a moment. "I like both," he said finally, and she couldn't help grinning.

"No reason we can't do both," she said. Ashley released him and lay back, giving his hand a quick tug. "Come here."

He did, a curious frown on his face as he drew his legs up onto the bed and lay down at her side. "What?"

Ashley pressed her mouth to his without a word. Andros was smiling when she drew away and she shifted closer, her face just inches away from his as they both rested their heads on the pillow.

"Let's just stay here for awhile," she suggested, kissing him another time. "Like this."

Andros touched his lips to hers before he answered, his kisses slow and lazy as he relaxed. "All right."

* * *

Cassie fiddled idly with the device in her hands. The metal band was long warmed from her touch as she passed it from palm to palm, undecided. He'd left her the communicator but hadn't used it himself, and she wasn't sure anymore that she wanted to, either.

She was tired of waiting for him to make up his mind. She had a life that was just fine without him and if he'd just leave and let her get over him, she'd move on and be perfectly happy.

There were plenty of others. She felt a twinge of uncertainty when TJ's was the first face to pop into her mind--he'd been one of her best friends since the moment they'd met on the bus nearly two years ago. She wasn't sure that she wanted a romantic relationship with him more than she wanted his friendship.

Still... she _was_ attracted to him, and maybe--

"Oh, you've got to be _kidding_ me," she muttered, jumping a foot in the air when the alarm shrilled. "Who is it now, Deca?"

"Disturbance in the park," Deca replied. "I have alerted the others."

Cassie sighed, slipping Arietis's communicator into her pocket as she stood. "I'm on my way."

* * *

"I told you I'd be back, Red Ranger."

Andros frowned, his confusion lifting as his mind flashed back to a few nights before. This was the one Darkonda had sent out after him. Ashley's stiff stance told him that she recognized the alien as well.

Gritting his teeth, he curled his hand more tightly around his saber. "You're wasting your time."

In answer, the alien brandished his sword. Andros tensed, bracing himself as he charged forward. Carlos blocked the swing of the sword and Andros started in surprise, berating himself silently for not keeping a closer eye on his teammates.

The flash of yellow he caught moving past him was Ashley, running forward to fight at his side. He darted in to slash at their opponent when Ashley drove him back with a kick, ducking to avoid losing a limb.

His heart pounded as he straightened up, his senses working on overdrive. This one was strong--TJ and Carlos were sprawled out on the ground now, struggling just to pick themselves up.

Andros flipped himself over the head of the alien and landed neatly on his feet, whirling around just in time to see Ashley stagger back, one hand clutching her Star Slinger and the other pressed to her chest. She took another kick to the stomach and then dropped her weapon, swaying on her feet.

"Ashley!"

He started to run towards her, only to be caught hard in the stomach by the hilt of the sword. Winded, he doubled over, not having enough air even to cry out when something blasted him and threw him backwards, blinding him in pain.

The last thing he was sure of was that he hit the ground. He saw clearly Zhane standing over him and then he saw nothing at all, as he succumbed to darkness. When he reemerged from it, the first thing he was aware of was the soreness of his body.

His chest cramped as he drew in a breath. Andros groaned softly as he exhaled, straining to lift his shoulders. Two hands grasped him before he got very far, rendering him immobile as they held him down.

"Don't you _ever_ learn that it might be best to hold still?"

Andros blinked his eyes open to squint up at Zhane. The brightness of the room burned his eyes and pain stabbed through his brain, drawing another groan from him.

"You might want to keep your eyes shut for awhile." Zhane sounded sympathetic as he released Andros's shoulders. "Don't sit up just yet, either. You've got a concussion and a few busted ribs--you're lucky."

"Oh..."

Zhane sighed when Andros slowly pushed himself up, slipping an arm beneath his shoulders to help him. "You really should lie down for awhile."

"I'll be fine." Andros opened his eyes just a bit, nauseous when the world spun. "Where's Ashley?"

"You should lie down," Zhane repeated more forcefully. Andros didn't move and Zhane simply kept the steadying arm around him as he answered. "Ashley's fine, she's helping Cassie get settled in her room. She'll be fine--it's nothing that she can't sleep off."

"Oh." He felt a flash of disappointment that she hadn't waited for him to wake up, quickly burying it. That wasn't fair.

"If you think you can keep yourself upright for twenty seconds, there's a pain reliever in the Synthetron. Deca's orders," Zhane broke into his thoughts, and Andros smiled a bit.

"Thanks."

He wasn't quite so grateful after drinking the reddish liquid. It burned his throat going down and he coughed, the motion causing him to moan quietly in pain as his head throbbed.

"Nothing I can do about that," Zhane told him, and it was only then that Andros realized just how quietly his friend was speaking. "Get some rest."

Andros started to nod, then caught himself just in time. "Where's Ashley? What happened to her?"

Zhane cocked his head, puzzled, then sighed. "You don't remember."

"Antegrade amnesia," Deca confirmed smoothly. "It will fade soon. I recommend several hours of bedrest," she added. "Effective immediately."

Andros didn't bother to deny that the idea appealed to him. Gripping the edge of the bed with his hands, he carefully slid off of it--and promptly felt his left leg buckle beneath him. Zhane caught him before he fell, but his headache tripled into near agony.

"Minor sprain," Zhane informed him ten minutes later. "As soon as it's wrapped, you're going to bed."

Andros only rubbed his temples in reply. His friend was whispering, but that was enough to make his head throb.

The pain in his head didn't recede any until he was curled up in bed in the darkness of his room, an icepack on his head and several pillows beneath his ankle. Once it did, he finally felt a few twinges in his ankle each time he shifted and his ribs seemed to be more than a dull ache.

Andros sighed, fighting the temptation to roll over. Tossing and turning wouldn't make him any more comfortable than he was now.

He didn't open his eyes when his door opened, his lips twitching when he felt the mattress dip.

"Hey." Her voice was soft near his ear, and he smiled faintly when her fingers covered his. "I heard you were asking for me."

Anything more than squeezing her fingers in reply required more effort than he could muster. Ashley kept his hand in hers as she carefully settled herself beside him, close enough that he could feel her breath on his neck.

"How do you feel?"

"Not so good," he admitted. He couldn't help himself from adding, "I'll be fine."

For some reason, he thought she smiled at that. "Tell me if you need anything," she murmured quietly, and then fell silent.

A drowsy sigh was the only answer he made. Ashley kept still and quiet beside him, and it was the sound of her breathing that lulled him to sleep.


	28. Chapter 28

**Disclaimer:** The Power Rangers are not mine.

**Chapter 28**

"You didn't have to bring me breakfast," Cassie protested. "I could have walked." Touched by the gesture, though, she gladly accepted the tray TJ offered her.

"You okay?"

"Hey, it was only a twisted ankle," she reminded him. "You know it heals--" She snapped her fingers for emphasis. "Like that."

"You sure?"

Laughing, she shook her head. "I'm fine." She paused. "But thanks for asking," she added quietly, and he nodded.

"Really, how've you been?" He frowned at her. "You seemed pretty upset after he left."

"I was." She pushed her hair back with a sigh. "But I needed the time."

"Oh." TJ nodded towards her wrist. "What's the story with that thing?"

"In case I want to talk to him."

"Oh," he said again, and sighed. "Look, Cass. Can I say something?"

Whether she wanted him to or not, he would. Cassie nodded slowly, suspecting that she knew already everything he would say. She was mostly right.

"We've been friends since that day on the bus," he said, and she nodded. "I love you, and I don't want to see you get hurt. So--really, is he who you want?"

She was tempted just to say yes and be done with it, but she couldn't. "I'm not sure yet," she admitted. "I hardly know who he is."

"But you still like him."

"Yeah." Cassie fiddled with her communicator awkwardly, and blew out her breath in a quiet sigh. She wanted him to leave as much as she wanted him to stay; whenever he was around, everything she thought she wanted suddenly wasn't so certain anymore.

"Okay." He certainly didn't look happy as he said the word, but his smile was warm when he turned it on her a moment later. "Do what makes you happy, Cass."

"I will," she promised him. She'd do just that--as soon as she had any idea of what that was.

* * *

The warm water only brought him wide awake. Andros flexed his shoulders once, then twice, and turned off the shower, heaving a sigh as he grabbed for his towel. It had been months since his nightmares had faded, and he hated to think that they were returning. He was lucky, really, that he hadn't woken screaming and thrashing around. 

He quickly dressed in a clean uniform, leaving the one he had slept in with his towel in a heap on the floor. His bare feel padded quietly on the floor as he crept back into his room with a silence that wasn't necessary; Ashley was sitting up in bed, her hair tangled but her eyes not at all sleepy.

"Morning," she greeted him with a quiet smile. "How's your head?"

"Everything's healed," he said, an answering smile on his lips. "I'm fine."

She scooted towards the wall and he sat beside her, a quick jerk of his head bringing his brush from his dresser into his hand. He turned his head to regard Ashley in surprise when she pulled it from his grasp, frowning when she grinned at him mischievously.

"What?"

"I want to ask you something," she said, and giggled softly.

Wary at her tone, he looked at her suspiciously. "What is it?"

She brushed damp hair out of his eyes, her lips lightly touching his as she smiled. "Why's your hair two different colors?"

Startled by her question, he laughed out loud. "Why isn't yours?" He grinned when Ashley wrinkled her nose at him, and shook his head. "It's been this way since I was born. I don't know if there's a reason for it."

"You've got beautiful hair," Ashley declared, reaching to toy with it. "I like it."

He was oddly pleased as he watched her twirl his hair around her finger. It wasn't as though he had any control over how he'd been born--but it still brought a smile to his face.

Andros rolled his eyes when she waved the brush at him. He sat still, though, and let her run it through his hair. She ended up on her knees behind him, brush forgotten as her hands rubbed his shoulders in a gentle massage, and he decided he had no reason to complain.

"You were up early," she remarked. "I thought you'd be sleeping in after I woke you up every half hour."

"Wasn't tired," he said. "That's all."

"You're tensing up," she accused him. "Something's bothering you."

He briefly contemplated lying, then decided he didn't have the energy. "Bad dreams," he muttered, drawing away from her. "That's all."

"Oh." She gave his shoulder a sympathetic rub, and he heard her sigh. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah." He let out a deep breath, and turned to smile at her. "I'm fine."

Her fingers brushed his cheek in a soft caress, brushing hair out of his eyes. "I'm glad," she said softly, and leaned forward to kiss him.

His eyes closed as he let her kiss him, her hands on his shoulders as she slid closer. Andros wrapped his arms around her as slow, gentle kisses deepened, still tender but more passionate now. Her tongue nudged his lower lip and his mouth opened, one of his hands running up to press against the back of her neck.

Then her lips were trailing fire across his neck and he couldn't breathe, his head falling back as his heart started pounding furiously. Ashley nipped at skin and he swallowed hard, warm all over as she slowly made her way back to his mouth.

He drew away just an inch, his hands clenched tight on her shoulders. "Ash," he breathed.

"Hmm?" Her kiss was light, and he hesitated.

"Nothing," he murmured, and kissed her again. That was all they were doing, he reasoned with himself. They were just kissing...

Except that then they weren't, and he still didn't care. The pillow was soft beneath his head and Ashley was warmth on top of him, and all he could think to do was to keep holding her while she kissed him senseless. Her tongue slid around the inside of his mouth and he made some small sound in response, clutching her shoulders.

She shifted within his embrace, and one of her hands slid down. Andros closed his eyes as his skin tingled at her touch, his breath catching when he felt her fingers untuck his shirt. He swallowed and her touch brushed over his stomach, across his ribs, back up towards his chest.

Ashley slid back, her hands balled around handfuls of his shirt. He followed when she sat up, reaching to help her push his jacket past his shoulders. His shirt followed, forgotten as Ashley kissed his collarbone from his neck to his shoulder and back again.

His fingers itched to touch her, but he couldn't quite seem to make his arms obey. He could do nothing but just sit there with her in his lap and feel. His heart thudded furiously in his chest as her fingers wandered over his body, exploring.

She shifted, and her knee rubbed against him, hard. Andros groaned aloud, his head falling forward as he gasped for breath. He felt Ashley freeze and shook his head, his cheeks flaming as he forced himself to meet her eyes.

"Andros?" she murmured uncertainly. She brushed hair out of his eyes, and then she slid off of his lap with a sigh to sit beside him. "I'm sorry," she said softly. "I shouldn't have..."

"It wasn't you," he muttered. His voice came out breathless and he passed a hand over his face, realizing suddenly how sweaty he was. Sweaty and panting for breath, and so totally out of control. Unnerved, he swallowed hard and shook his head. "I wasn't thinking."

"It's okay," she said quietly. She must have seen something in his expression; worry passed over her face as she laid her hand on his arm. "Andros?"

"I'm all right." Sighing, he closed his eyes. All the want he'd been feeling just a moment ago was gone now, leaving him more relieved than anything else. "If you hadn't stopped," he told her, resting his elbows on his knees, "I wouldn't have thought to."

Ashley studied her fingernails for a few moments, but she met his eyes steadily when she spoke. "I told you yesterday that I wasn't sure," she said slowly. "I told you I didn't know if I'd regret it."

He nodded, and she continued. "I wouldn't," she told him, staring straight into his eyes. "And I--I'm sure."

Andros lowered his eyes. "I'm not," he muttered. It didn't make any sense, not when she was what he wanted. But he knew that this too much. "Ash, I--I just can't."

"Okay," she said, and laid her hand on his. "That's okay." She squeezed his fingers gently, smiling at him when he raised his head. "Why not?"

He shook his head. "I don't know. I want to, but--" He closed his eyes with a sigh. "I'm scared," he admitted quietly. "And I don't know why."

"That's all right." Her thumb stroked the back of his hand, her other hand resting lightly on his knee. "I'm scared too," she offered, her fingers tightening on his. "Or nervous, I guess. It's--it's the good kind of scared."

Ashley paused, and sighed. "But it's not for you, is it."

"No," he said, staring steadily down at his knees. "It's not."

Ashley didn't say anything right away, rubbing his knee in silence for a few moments. "I don't want if if you don't," she said finally, and smiled a little at him. "Do you just need some time?"

"I don't know." He pushed his hair out of his face, and sighed. "It's been five months, Ash, but..."

"That's awfully fast when you've never had a relationship before," she said, and he nodded.

"Yeah," he murmured. "That's probably it."

"You've got all the time in the world," she promised him, and leaned forward to kiss his cheek. "You're worth waiting for."

His lips quirked up into a tiny smile as he nodded. Andros turned his head and kissed her, lifting a hand to stroke her cheek. "I love you," he whispered, and touched another soft kiss to her mouth.

"I know you do." She turned, her hair tickling his neck as she rested her head on his shoulder. "And Andros?" she added quietly, sliding her fingers through his. "You're gorgeous."

Andros lowered his eyes as his face flushed, giving her fingers a gentle squeeze. He didn't see it, but in the end it only really mattered that she did. Her free hand lightly patted the back of his hand, soothing him as he finally relaxed completely.

He closed his eyes when she caressed his chest; it was a gesture of comfort this time, and a welcome one. Her finger traced an unpredictable pattern across his skin and he glanced down at himself, sighing quietly as he saw that it was his scars she ran her finger along.

"I'm sorry," she murmured, and quickly drew her hand away. "I wasn't thinking."

"I don't mind," he said softly. "That felt... nice."

"Then what was bothering you?" she wanted to know. "Andros?"

He shook his head, frowning as he lifted a hand to trace where her fingers had been a few moments before. Ashley touched his shoulder. "I'm not lying when I say gorgeous, you know," she said softly. "You are."

A small smile formed at her words. "I just hate that they're there sometimes," he muttered, and she nodded in understanding.

"Does it hurt?" she asked tentatively. "To remember where they came from, I mean."

She didn't press him when he didn't answer right away, and he sighed. "I don't remember how I got most of them," Andros said finally. "I can guess what made them, but I don't remember what I did."

"Do you ever wish that you did?"

"I remember the last few weeks before I escaped," he said. "That's more than enough."

Her arm wound around his shoulders, and he reached up to grasp her fingers. "Six years," he muttered, his eyes fixed on his lap. "I used to wonder if there was a reason I couldn't remember."

Ashley opened her mouth, hesitating before she spoke. Andros sighed. "Deca told me that I would remember when I was ready," he said. "It's been another six years, and I think I've only forgotten more."

She hugged him tight and he let her, returning the embrace just as fiercely. Eyes closed, Andros rested his head on her shoulder, sighing quietly into her neck as she caressed the scars on his back. "That feels nice..."

"It's supposed to." Ashley sounded pleased with herself, and he smiled when rubbed his shoulder gently. "Backrub?" she offered with a grin. "It'll help you relax."

* * *

"Uh, Andros?" Zhane studied the screen in front of him with a frown. "I think we have a problem." 

"How important of a problem?" His friend's voice was breathless as it floated through the communicator, and Zhane raised an eyebrow.

"Well," he said, "you can't be wandering around Angel Grove if you're also doing whatever it is you're doing with Ashley."

A pause. "We'll be there in a minute."

He decided to cut them some slack when they were the first ones on the Bridge. Zhane allowed himself one instant to study them critically, and while Andros's ponytail appeared sloppier than it usually did, there was nothing else. Besides, they really did have more important worries.

"That." He pointed towards the viewing screen. "Any of them look familiar?"

"That's not..." Ashley stopped, shaking her head. "Of course it's possible," she muttered, and Andros's mouth quirked.

The hint of a smile was gone a split second later. "Who are they, and what do we do about them?"

"It is likely that they are fully functioning cyborgs," Deca informed them. "I first detected them when they teleported into Angel Grove from an unknown location, though I presume their point of origin to have been the Dark Fortress."

"Makes sense to me," Carlos agreed from the doorway. His stared grimly at the screen. "So do we fight them or what?"

"We confront them, yes," Andros decided. He caught Zhane's eye. "You stay here."

"But--"

"It could be a trap," Andros silenced his protest. "We might need some backup."

Reluctantly, he nodded. He was generally opposed to sending his friends off to battle without him, but he agreed that it was likely some sort of setup. And if it was, he'd like for them to have some sort of backup plan.

Alone on the Bridge, he settled himself comfortably in the center seat. "Hey, how come Andros gets the fluffy chair?" he complained, feet on the consoles as he stretched out. "It's not fair, Deca."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

He looked at her suspiciously. The red light only blinked at him, and he sighed. His feet back on the floor, Zhane turned his attention to the viewscreen again. His friends were in the picture now and he leaned forward to pay closer attention, wondering idly how he was supposed to tell them all apart.

He winced when one Andros was suddenly sprawled out on the ground. Zhane supposed it was too much to hope for that that one wasn't the real Red Ranger, and reached for his morpher automatically.

"Zhane," Deca said. "Wait a few minutes."

"And just watch them get beaten up?" he demanded, as he watched battle erupt. "They aren't winning!"

"No," she agreed. "They are not."

"Then why am I still here?"

"Because," she said smugly, "I had not yet finished upgrading your Silver Cycle."

"Oh." He paused, then grinned up at her sheepishly. "Well, in that case..."

"Your lasers are twice as powerful now," she informed him. "I believe you will find them useful."

So did he. Zhane reached for his Digimorpher. "Let's rocket!" The adrenaline rush of morphing had hardly faded when Deca teleported him out without his asking, and he found himself in Angel Grove a split second later.

His bike on autopilot, he let her guide him to the battle. Or what was left of it. There wasn't a sign of the copycat Rangers when he arrived; all he found was his teammates beaten to a pulp. Andros's morph faded as Zhane approached, pain on his face as he tried to push himself up.

"What happened?" he demanded, slipping an arm beneath Andros's shoulders.

"We've never been up against anything that strong before." Andros groaned softly as Zhane helped him to his feet, but he shook his head. "I'm fine; help them."

"My head," Carlos muttered, hands pressed to his temples. "Man. What _were_ they?"

Ashley shook her head, one arm around Cassie. Zhane wasn't sure who was supporting who. "You guys, what do we do?"

"We'll think of something," TJ said, with a confidence Zhane doubted he truly felt right now. "Somehow."

Andros only shook his head. "Let's get back to the ship."

* * *

**Author's Note:** Finally got this one done. This will be the last update until sometime in August; I'll be leaving early Saturday morning for a week-long vacation. Between this next Saturday and the one after that, expect no updates, reviews from me, etc. I will try to update StL before I go, but no promises.

Anywhoo, I think I'm about three-fifths of the way through this mess. I think that's good news... Please review. :)


	29. Chapter 29

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the Power Rangers.

**Chapter 29**

Worried, Andros studied Deca's footage of their latest battle, TJ at his side. They fought well together as a team, but--he winced as he watched himself stagger back, the wind knocked out of him--their teamwork didn't seem to be a match for the strength of the Psycho Rangers.

"Man." TJ let out a low whistle as the screen went black. "That was brutal."

From somewhere behind him, Carlos grunted his agreement. When Andros turned, he saw Carlos shoulder to shoulder with Ashley, both looking as they belonged in bed. He pressed his lips into a thin line to keep himself from ordering them off of the Bridge; he probably looked the same, and they could last another few minutes.

"They have to have a weakness somewhere," he insisted. "We'll find it."

_"Ashley's rubbing off on you,"_ Zhane observed silently, the hint of a smile fading as he continued. "You guys could hardly stand up when I found you," he reminded them. "What do we do about that?"

Andros resisted the temptation to rub his sore ribs, instead sinking down into his seat with a groan. He didn't have an answer--they were physically outmatched, there was no question about it, and he yet hadn't had the time to analyze their strategy for a weakness in the way the Psychos worked as a team.

"It was like they read my mind," Ashley said. She hugged both arms to her chest, frowning. "When she grabbed my head..."

That odd feeling in the pit of his stomach returned, intensifying as all the others nodded slowly. It hadn't been just him, then. "We have to assume that they know all of our moves, then," he said grimly. "All of our attacks were useless."

"What do we do now?" Cassie asked.

"We need a new strategy." Andros rubbed his forehead with a sigh, wincing slightly as he shifted. "Everyone get some rest. We'll meet on the Simudeck in two hours."

* * *

"Hey, Ash?" Cassie paused midway through the oddly therapeutic motions of twisting her hair into tiny braids, frowning thoughtfully at her best friend. "Can I talk to you?" 

"Of course." Ashley stretched her legs out in front of her, wiggling her newly red-painted toes as she leaned back against the side of Cassie's bed. "What's up?"

She was, Cassie decided, never going to be able to get over how easy it was to be fighting monsters one moment and chatting casually the next. "It's about TJ."

"Oh?" Ashley arched an eyebrow, grinning slyly. "Tell!"

"Well..." She quickly filled her in on what had happened earlier that morning, pointedly ignoring Ashley's knowing smirk. "Don't look at me like that!"

"Like what?" Ashley's smile was as innocent as her voice, and she laughed quietly. "Well, you like them both, don't you?"

"Yeah," Cassie sighed. "That's the problem."

"Hmm." Ashley capped the bottle of nail polish, hesitating. "Cass... Arietis, do you really like him? Or is it just a crush from when we were Turbo Rangers?"

"I'm not sure," she admitted. "I really thought that we had some sort of... connection. But since he's been gone... I don't know."

"Did you ever talk to him?"

"No..." Cassie said slowly, and glanced down at her wrist with a sigh. "I know I could have called him," she said. "I was just sort of hoping..."

"That he'd call you," Ashley finished, nodding. "And TJ?"

"I don't know." She twisted her hair around her finger, frowning. "He's one of my best friends, Ash. I think... that the friendship means more. But... I don't know!"

Ashley made a sympathetic face. "That's how it was with me and Carlos," she said. "We make better friends than a couple... but if you wanted to, I think you and Teej could work it out."

"Yeah..." Cassie blew out her breath, and shook her head. "How're things with Andros?"

Ashley looked down quickly, and Cassie raised an eyebrow. "What?" she demanded. "I want to hear this."

"Well... I--I think I almost had sex with him," Ashley confessed.

"You _think_?" Cassie repeated. She leaned forward, fixing her friend with a shocked look. "When?"

"Um..." Ashley's cheeks took on a decidedly reddish tint. "About two hours ago."

"Two--what happened?"

"We were just kissing," Ashley defended herself. "That was all we were doing, and then... you know... we got a little carried away."

"A little carried away?" She fixed her friend with a skeptical look. "Well, what happened?"

"We talked." Ashley shrugged her shoulders, rearranging her legs before she spoke again. "I told him that I wanted to, and he said he wasn't ready. I told him I'd wait until he was. I love him so much, Cass," she added softly. "It's hard for him to let go sometimes, but... I just want to be with him. That's all I want."

"You've fallen way too hard," Cassie said, a smile on her face.

"Haven't I?" Ashley grinned back at her. "But he's worth it."

Cassie just rolled her eyes and laughed, but Ashley's words stuck with her. When she was alone again, she rolled over onto her back and drew the communicator he had left her up close to her mouth, letting out a deep breath as she tapped the buttons.

The device beeped quietly a moment later, and she hesitated only a moment before speaking. "Arietis?" she said softly. "Are you there?"

* * *

Andros lay stretched out on his bed, one arm behind his head and the other pressing an ice pack to his ribs. His eyes were closed but she saw him smile as she approached, the hand on his ribs rising in greeting. She sat beside him on the bed and reached for him, resting her fingers lightly on his. 

"Hey," she murmured. "How are you?"

"Sore." He lifted his head, groaned, then dropped his head back down. "You?"

"Just a little bruised," she said. "I'll be fine."

Andros opened his eyes and smiled at her, scooting closer to the wall. Ashley shifted to sit closer to him, leaning down to kiss his cheek. His smile widened and she kissed his lips as she straightened, stroking his hair absently as she leaned back against the wall.

"Andros, what do we do?"

He was silent for a few moments, then she heard him sigh. "I don't even know what we're up against," he admitted. "I've never seen anything like them before."

That worried her more than it probably should have, and Ashley let out a deep breath. She couldn't expect him to have encountered everything there was to see in the universe. Besides, Deca had seemed confident earlier that they were facing robots.

"There has to be a way to beat them, though," she said, relieved when he nodded in agreement. "There has to be."

Andros nodded his head once more and switched the ice pack to his other side. He rubbed gingerly where the pack had just been and inhaled sharply, groaning quietly as he exhaled.

Ashley watched him with a frown. "How bad is it?" she wanted to know. She combed her fingers through his soft hair while she waited for him to answer, worried when he didn't. "Andros?"

"Just bruises," he muttered. "You can look if you want."

He turned himself carefully onto one side when she nodded, allowing her to push up his tank top. The entire area over his ribcage was purpling, and Ashley swallowed as she straightened his shirt. He rolled over onto his back again and sighed when he saw her face, shaking his head.

"Nothing's broken," he said. "It looks worse than it is."

That didn't mean he wasn't in pain. Ashley nodded reluctantly, knowing that Deca would never have let him out of the med bay if he was truly injured. "I'm glad you're okay," she said softly, and bent down to kiss him. "Stay that way."

"You too," he said softly. "I don't want to see you hurt."

She smiled and kissed him again, softly. "I'll be careful."

"You should see yourself fight," he said dryly.

Ashley shook her head with a soft laugh, warm inside as she reached to clasp his hand. She didn't _want_ him worrying over her, but at the same time--she was pleased that he did.

His hand tightened over hers as he painfully started to push himself up. He groaned and Ashley sighed, her arm beneath his shoulders to help him. Once sitting, he leaned back with the ice pack back on his left side, wincing as he tried to get comfortable.

"I can get you some more ice," she offered. "And if you're hungry, something to eat."

He considered that for a few moments, his face relaxing into a smile. "That'd be nice," he admitted. "Thank you."

"Of course." She kissed him quickly before she went off, stopping at the med bay for another ice pack before heading to the Synthetron for some lunch. It felt it could be bedtime, she decided, but it was really hardly noon.

She grinned to herself as she ordered enough food for them both, tossing some chopsticks onto the tray on top of the napkins. She'd been meaning to get him to try Chinese food again, but he hadn't seemed eager to repeat that first date.

"Hope you're hungry," she said brightly, as she entered his room. "I've got lunch."

Andros took the ice pack from her gratefully and held it to his ribs. Ashley settled herself cross-legged beside him, the tray carefully balanced on her lap. She offered him the chopsticks with a hopeful smile, giggling softly when she saw him blush.

"Please?" She pouted when he shook his head, her fingers curling around his wrist before he could reach the fork. "Just once," she insisted. "At least try it."

With a sigh and a roll of his eyes, he allowed her to arrange to chopsticks in his hand. With painstaking care, he managed to capture a piece of chicken and slowly lifted it from the plate. It slipped out of his grasp halfway to his mouth, and he shook his head. Without a word, Andros passed her the chopsticks and reached for the fork.

"Thanks for trying," she said sheepishly. "It takes practice."

Andros watched her eat with ease, and shook his head once more. "I don't understand how you do it."

"It gets easier," she said. On a whim, she took the chopsticks and snagged a piece of meat, offering it to him. To her surprise, he opened his mouth and let her feed him not only that mouthful but the next several, a smile on his face as he swallowed. She grinned and passed him a napkin, and then leaned back against his pillow to enjoy her lunch.

Andros ate more slowly than she did, and from his silence she could tell that he was worrying again. Not that she could blame him--the Psychos had tossed them around like rag dolls, and they had hardly been able to so much as throw a punch of their own.

"We'll find a way," she promised him, hoping that she at least sounded confident. "We've found a way with everyone else."

He nodded slowly, more in acknowledgment of her words than anything else. He certainly didn't look like he believed her, and Ashley sighed. She set the tray on his dresser and then moved closer to him, gently tapping his knee.

A small smile formed. "Ash," he sighed. "This won't be easy."

"I know." She rubbed his knee idly. For an instant, the Power Chamber flashed before her eyes and she was back to back with Cassie again, preparing to fight as the ceiling caved in... Ashley bit her lip and forced back the memory of the only battle that they'd ever lost, unable to ignore the uneasiness the memory brought with it. "But we'll do it."

Andros laid his hand on hers. He gently stroked the back of her hand with his thumb while he thought for a few moments, quietly sighing. "They have the upper hand," he admitted grudgingly. "We have to work around that."

"How?" She did her very best not to sound despondent. "I mean, they know all our moves..."

"I don't know." Andros rubbed his forehead, frustrated as he looked back at her. "I don't like this," he muttered. "We don't have enough control over the situation."

That was when it hit her, and Ashley just stared at him for a moment. Her mouth opened and closed as each time she started to speak, she thought better of the words in her mouth. _How_ had she not seen it?

"That's what you're scared of, isn't it?" she said finally. The words sounded harsher aloud than they had in her head, and she winced. "Not being in control, I mean."

He looked confused for a moment, not quite sure what she was talking about. Then he lowered his eyes and shook his head, tucking hair behind his ears with a soft sigh. "I--I'm not sure."

"Not sure?" she repeated.

"Yeah." He shrugged, awkward and uncomfortable. "It's not that I don't want to."

"Oh," she said slowly, sheepishly lowering her eyes. "Sorry," she murmured. "I shouldn't have--"

"It's fine," he said, but he wasn't quite looking at her. "I need some more time."

"I know." She reached and gripped his fingers hard, leaning closer to kiss his cheek.

"I don't know how else to explain it," he muttered. "I--I want to, just--not yet."

"You're doing fine," she promised him. Her thumb ran lightly over his knuckles and she saw him smile. Softly adding, "I love you," she shifted to hug him hard, her arms tight around his middle until she heard him groan.

Having completely forgotten about the nasty bruises on his ribs, she released him instantly. "I'm sorry," she said quickly, her face flushing guiltily. "I--are you all right?"

"I'm fine." He nodded with a small smile. "Just don't do that again."

"Deal," she said sheepishly. Andros slid his arm around her, and so she figured that he wasn't too upset. Ashley leaned her head on his shoulder with a content smile, only to open her eyes a moment later when something beeped. "What's that?"

"Two hours are almost up," he said, and sighed. "We should get to the Simudeck."

She slid out of bed with a sigh of her own. Andros waited a moment before he stood, his hand pressed to his ribs. Ashley frowned at him, concerned, but he shook his head. Still worried, she reached for his hand, her fingers laced tightly with his as they left his room.

* * *

**Author's Note:** I'd meant to have two chapters posted by last Thursday and obviously that didn't happen... so, sorry about that. Real life got in the way for a bit and then I rediscovered some of my attempts at original fiction... fanfiction is so much more fun! Hehe.

I do have large chunks of this last story arc written so I should probably be able to update more than... once a month, or whatever I've been doing, if school doesn't get in the way. I did write half of the next chapter sometime last spring, so maybe an update next week. Thank you all so much for being patient with this story, and for all your feedback. You're the best! I hope this was worth the wait.


	30. Chapter 30

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the Power Rangers. That would be Disney. I think.

**Chapter 30**

"You know, that really wasn't fair," Zhane complained. The Silver Ranger slowly rolled onto his back, rubbing his shoulder. "You're stronger."

"You're taller," Andros retorted. He reached for his towel instead of offering his friend a hand up.

"That I am," Zhane agreed as he sat. He looked Andros up and down, smirking. "Blonder, too."

Andros couldn't help laughing. He mopped the sweat from his forehead before he sank back down to stretch out. However gentle their moves had been this time, the added half hour of sparring on top of the team's training session and the battle that morning all combined to make him sore. Very sore.

Careful as he bent forward to touch his toes, he breathed out slowly as he straightened up. Zhane watched him through narrowed eyes, and Andros sighed. "What?"

"If you beat me on a broken rib--"

"It's not broken."

Zhane studied him a moment longer, unconvinced, and Andros rolled his eyes. "Well, it's not."

Zhane waved an arm over his shoulder, fingers closing around his towel when it came close enough. Wiping his face, he said, "Just hope that they don't attack again until you've all healed."

"Just hope that we can buy ourselves enough time to find their weakness," Andros retorted. He slung his towel across his shoulders and leaned back on his hands, sighing. "It's been awhile since we've been up against something this tough."

When Zhane slowly closed his mouth, Andros knew what he'd almost asked. "That was different," he muttered. "I made a mistake and Darkonda took advantage of it. He didn't capture me because he was stronger, he captured me because I was an idiot."

"Well, at least you admit it." Zhane smirked, grinning widely. "I've heard that helps." More seriously, he added, frowning, "It's been awhile since he's shown up."

"I know." Andros drew one knee up to his chest, sighing. "He's up to something--but we've got more important problems right now."

"Do you think this one is Astronema?"

"Who else is there?" Andros picked some lint off of his pants, frowning. "If I could just--"

"No." Zhane's voice was hard as he cut in, shaking his head. "You're not going after her."

"There has to be some way to get through to her," he argued.

"I'm not saying that there isn't," Zhane said. "But you sneaking onto the Dark Fortress and getting yourself captured isn't quite the way to do it."

"I know." Andros let out his breath in a slow sigh, closing his eyes. "I just..."

"I know." Zhane was quiet for a moment before he added, "You're going to get her back."

"Right." He heard his voice grow flat and desperately tried to shake off the despair. He couldn't stop believing in her now. He _would_ have her back someday. He would.

"Hey." Zhane's voice grew sharp, and Andros just knew he was frowning. "Don't think like that."

"Right," he said again, letting out a deep breath before he blinked his eyes open. "You're right."

"Of course I am." Zhane smirked at him and Andros couldn't help smiling just a little. "Listen, why don't you go out with Ashley, have some fun? I'll do whatever it is that's important right now."

Andros raised an eyebrow. "I'm not sure that taking the night off is a good idea right now."

"You're too responsible," Zhane informed him. "At least go have dinner with her before you go back to work. Let her cheer you up."

Andros rolled his eyes, annoyed at the way he felt his face flush when Zhane grinned widely at him. "I don't _need_ cheering up."

"Sure you do." Zhane paused, studying him closely. "Have you--"

"No," Andros said shortly. "We haven't."

"Why not?"

Andros blinked at him. "Because."

Zhane threw his towel at him, making a face when it fell far short of its target. "Seriously."

"We just haven't." Andros shrugged.

"Well, why not?"

"Because." Andros grinned when Zhane made a face at him, and shook his head. "She wants to," he admitted, frowning.

"And you don't?"

"I--I..." He shrugged his shoulders, uncomfortable. "I do... but... I don't know."

"All right." Zhane stretched his legs out in front of him, toes pointed as he bent forward. "You don't have to worry about it, you know."

"I'm not," he muttered.

But he was.

A little bit.

Andros tucked some hair behind his ears, hesitating. Ashley had asked him if it was the loss of control that he was afraid of. It wasn't that, he realized now--he could let go around her. He only didn't know what to do with himself once he had.

And what if it wasn't enough? He frowned to himself, wondering. If he let go of everything that held him back, would that be enough for him to share himself completely? Or would there be something else to stop him? And Ashley could still change her mind...

But she probably wouldn't. He knew that she wouldn't, and he knew that somehow he was what she wanted. Andros didn't understand how or why, but somehow he could make her happy in a way that nobody else could. And she made him happy, too, and that was something that he didn't want to let go of.

He shouldn't be afraid of this. He might not know what he was doing and there was a vague, fuzzy memory somewhere in the back of his mind that warned against letting anyone so close, but--Ashley wouldn't ever harm him. There was nothing that he had to fear with her.

And when this was what he wanted...

Andros climbed slowly to his feet and reached his hand out to Zhane. "We should get back to work."

* * *

Three days and four lost battles later, Ashley limped out of the infirmary. They were lucky to have come out relatively unscathed this time--her ankle was slightly twisted and Carlos had a badly sprained wrist, but the rest of them were bruised and nothing more. 

She sucked nervously on her bottom lip, putting little weight on her right leg as she headed towards the Bridge. Andros would be there, she knew, watching and rewatching Deca's recordings of each of their encounters with the Psycho Rangers.

Ashley paused in the doorway when she saw him in his seat, quietly watching him. He turned in his seat a few seconds later, and she smiled at him wearily. "I didn't mean to interrupt you."

"You're not." He turned himself back towards the screen as she came closer, tilting his head backwards to frown at her. "You're hurt," he said. "You should sit down."

"I'm fine," she promised him. Ashley leaned forward across the back of his chair, her hands on his shoulders. "Andros..."

He pulled away as she started to wrap her arms around his neck, grasping her wrists and gently pulling her closer. "Sit," he insisted.

Ashley dropped down into her own seat, reaching to rest one hand on his elbow. "What are you thinking about?"

Andros shook his head with a quiet sigh. "Nothing we've tried has worked."

"I know." Ashley rubbed his arm, trying to smile at him. "But we'll think of something--there's never been anyone we couldn't beat in the end."

That wasn't quite true. Ashley found herself again remembering the Power Chamber and she bit her lip, her eyes intently studying her lap. They hadn't beaten Divatox--she'd nearly killed them, and it was something of a miracle that she hadn't. But she'd had an army with her, Ashley reminded herself, and sighed.

"Ashley?" Andros's quiet voice pulled her from her thoughts, and she tried to smile she saw the concern on his face. "Is there something wrong?"

"I--I was just thinking..." She leaned back into her seat with another sigh, turning herself slightly to face him. "When we lost the Power Chamber, Divatox had an army of Piranhatrons. But it doesn't seem to matter that there's only five Psycho Rangers if we can't last long enough to even defend ourselves."

Andros nodded slowly. Ashley let out a deep breath when he laid his hand over hers, a small smile forming when he tugged gently on her arm. She leaned against him gratefully, her chin on his shoulder as he just held her without saying a word.

"Thanks," she whispered, feeling silly now. "I thought I was supposed to be cheering you up."

He just tightened his hold on her. When Andros stroked her hair she closed her eyes, squeezing him a little harder. Safe in his arms, she inhaled the familiar scents of his hair and his skin and for a few precious moments, she could believe that there was only the two of them and nothing to worry about at all.

She raised her head when he exhaled, a smile on her face as their eyes met. She hugged him tight for another instant before she stepped back. "Thanks," she said again. "I'm all right now."

"I'm glad," he said softly. His fingers brushed against her cheek, pushing hair behind her ear, and she turned her head to kiss his palm. He smiled faintly. "I love you, Ash."

"I love you," she murmured in reply. Letting out a deep, slow breath, Ashley took her seat again. She studied the images Deca had frozen on the screen and tried hard to push the uneasinesss from her mind, ultimately finding herself unable to.

"Andros," she said suddenly, "do you think this is a losing battle?"

"Ash..." Andros hesitated. He drummed his fingers against the flight control panel, and sighed. "I..."

"I want to know what you really think," she insisted.

"We've been losing," he said, and stilled the tapping of his fingers. "They're stronger, faster, and they they can read our minds if they're close enough. I've lost to less than them before.

"But," he continued, "I don't believe that they're invulnerable to attack. We only need to find their weakness."

That was a more optimistic answer than she had expected, and Ashley nodded, satisfied. "So we've just got to find their weakness and then we can beat them?"

"I don't know," he admitted. "It's not as simple as it sounds."

"I've noticed," she muttered, and thought she saw a half-smile form.

When she reached to brush his fingers with her own, Andros caught her hand. He gave a gentle tug and she let him pull her, somewhat surprisingly, into his lap. Ashley leaned against him as he wrapped both arms around her waist and held her close to him, neither of them speaking.

When several minutes passed and he didn't release her, Ashley closed her eyes and tucked her head against his shoulder. He hugged her closer and she sighed deeply, gently rubbing his shoulder with one hand.

"Scared?" she asked softly.

A moment of silence, then: "Yes," he murmured. "We need to figure out something fast."

"We will," she said quietly, halfway surprised to find that she believed herself. She squeezed his shoulder and kissed his cheek just above his jaw, gently touching his lips when he smiled.

He kissed her fingertips as she let her hand fall away. Ashley smiled, then shifted until she was better able to trail kisses across his cheek and jaw to his mouth. He turned his head and their noses bumped together; she pulled away with a soft giggle, and his smile widened.

Her good leg resting on the ground and her arms around his shoulders, Ashley leaned forward to kiss him again. Andros slid one arm around her waist, his hand pressing gently against the small of her back. He slowly traced her spine as he kissed her soundly, the fingers of his other hand brushing over her cheek.

The light caress made her smile, and she held him a little more tightly. His breath was warm on her ear as she rested her chin on his shoulder another time, in no hurry to let him go. Andros sighed quietly and touched her hair, and she shut her eyes, willing herself to believe that he would always be there.

* * *

**Author's Note:** Apologies--again--for the late update. I should have considered how much time school takes up when promising an update within the week. And because I am a stubborn idiot who signed up for too many units and refuses to drop any classes: updates will be scarce between now and the 20th of December, and unlikely at all in November. But I'm not going anywhere, and as soon as I can manage to finally wrap up StL, I'll finally post the continuation of Let Come What May. 

Any feedback welcome. :)


	31. Chapter 31

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the Power Rangers.

**Author's Note: **So. Sex. Never had it. I know lots about it thanks to the interwebs, and I feel reasonably sure that I'm capable at least of not writing them into a physically impossible situation. If I failed in that, please do let me know.

It's been one year and almost one hundred thousand words since I got myself into this mess... and I think I'm finally starting to dig myself out. I'm really hoping to wrap this up before chapter 50.

I really will update StL sometime in the next week or two, promise. Also, I can't remember the last time I managed to write most of a chapter in a day... there might be some hope for me after all.

Anyway, enjoy. :)

**Chapter 31**

Cassie waited. She twirled her long hair impatiently around her index finger, gazing down at her wrist. The communicator was still beeping quietly, and she tried not to feel disappointment. For all she knew, Arietis had left his ship on some mission and left it behind. It certainly would have been the smart thing to do.

"Cassie?"

His voice came out of nowhere, and she was so badly startled she nearly hit her head on the bunk above her. "It's me."

"I'm glad to hear from you again." He paused and she waited, hoping for more. He was silent.

"We've been busy," she said awkwardly when the silence stretched on. "Astronema's built some robot... things. Psycho Rangers."

"Psycho Rangers." He repeated the name slowly, and though she couldn't see his face, she knew that he was frowning. "They're powerful?"

"Very." Cassie touched her shoulder absently, still tender from the beating she had taken that morning. "As TJ put it, it's brutal."

"I will help," he promised solemnly.

She couldn't help smiling a little bit. "I don't want to pull you away from your mission," she said. "Finding Zordon is important."

"I was on my way back," he said. "The trails I've been following have all disappeared. I've sent all the information I have to Tan and Cia on Meisia, and told them that I will resume searching nearer to Earth."

"You're coming back?" she repeated.

"Yes." He stopped again, but this time there was more. "I... I have missed you, Cassie."

Her smile threatened to split her face. "I've missed you too," she whispered. "I'll be waiting."

* * *

There was a nasty bruise on his left side, all shades of purple and yellow. Careful not to touch him there, Ashley kept the motion of her hands confined to his neck and shoulders. Andros rolled his head forward, trying to relax. She smiled, leaning to press her lips to the back of his neck as she kept rubbing his shoulders.

"Feeling any better?" she asked awhile later, pausing. She didn't take her hands from his shoulders, sliding her palms forward down his arms.

"Yeah," he said quietly. He flexed his shoulders once, then again, and slowly twisted around to face her. "Thank you."

Her answer was to kiss him, her arms wound around his neck in a hug. She just held onto him, squeezing him tight until she felt him wrap his arms around her in return.

"Ash?"

"I love you." She breathed it into his ear, her eyes closed. "So much."

"I love you too, Ash." His voice came back soft and reassuring, and she hugged him harder.

When she unwound her arms from around him, Andros turned to sit beside her. Ashley leaned her head against his shoulder, eyes closed again as she sighed. "Andros?"

His fingers brushed over hers, and she just knew that he was staring her in concern. "Is something wrong?"

Their clasped hands rested on his thigh. Ashley squeezed hard and shook her head. "I'm worried about you," she admitted softly. "Psycho Red has it in for you."

Andros didn't answer her. Ashley opened her eyes and found him frowning at her thoughtfully. "The other Psychos would kill any of you in a second," he said finally. "But you've noticed it too."

"Yeah." She turned her head and pressed her lips to his shoulder, rubbing her nose against his skin.

She saw him smile. "I'll be careful," he promised her quietly. "There's nothing else I can say."

"I know." Ashley rubbed his shoulder with her free hand, her thumb slowly tracing the mark burned into his skin. He had enough scars on him already; he didn't need more. "This is what we do. I just... don't want to see you get hurt."

"I don't want to see you get hurt, either," he said.

"I'll be careful too." Ashley smiled and kissed his shoulder. "Better?"

"Not really." He sat quietly for a few minutes, then sighed. "I know you'll try, and I'll try, but we don't know what will happen."

"True," she agreed. She kissed the brand, her eyes closed as she rested her forehead on his shoulder. "But that's no reason to give up now."

"I know."

His shoulders were tense again, she realized, and wrapped her arm around his waist. "You're supposed to be relaxing," she murmured, brushing her lips over the back of his neck.

"Sorry..." His voice trailed off when she exhaled across the nape of his neck. He twisted around to face her then, arms folded over his chest. His expression unreadable, Ashley thought for a moment that she'd upset him, until a slow smile formed.

His arms fell to his sides as she leaned closer to kiss him. Ashley felt his hand touch her hair, felt his mouth warm on hers, and let him draw her close. Her lips parted and his tongue gently prodded hers, his hand pressed to the back of her neck.

Andros leaned back and Ashley slid across his lap. He hissed softly as she leaned too heavily against his tender ribs, gently nudging her back. Ashley murmured an apology as she kissed him again. One of his hands clutching at the neckline of her t-shirt, he didn't seem too bothered.

His hand slid down to her elbow, his palm warm and damp with sweat. In the dim light of the room, she could see how his face flushed and without thinking, kissed him harder. It was just so easy with him...

Her mouth trailed across his neck and she heard his breathing grow ragged. He squirmed beneath her, gripping her upper arms so tightly now that it nearly hurt. She whispered his name against his skin and his hold loosened, his arms slowly curving around her as she laid her chin down on his shoulder.

He kissed her ear. Ashley started, her surprise melting into something that made her heart pound just as hard. Andros nuzzled that soft spot between her ear and her jaw, his breath hot on her skin, and she was suddenly shivering, tingling all over.

"Andros..."

His mouth covered hers then, and whatever she had been about to say didn't matter anymore. Ashley leaned into him, in the back of her mind suddenly aware of how his hand pressed against her bare skin at small of her back, of the way the fingers of his other hand traced a slow line between her shoulder blades.

"Andros," she whispered again. He kissed her fingers when she covered his mouth with her hand, but he waited silently for her to speak. Ashley hesitated, smiling a little when he kissed her thumb. "I thought you weren't ready."

"I didn't know." Andros stared at her almost helplessly, his face flushed and his voice uncertain. "Ash... I--I..."

She kissed him before he could do anything like apologize to her, because she had a feeling that was what he was about to do, and that was the last thing in the world that she wanted right now.

"Andros." She murmured his name softly, slowly, her mouth only a fraction of an inch from his. "Is this what you want?"

She caught her breath as she felt his fingers feather-soft on her face. Slowly, Andros nodded his head yes, and Ashley turned her face to kiss his palm. His skin was warm, salty and sweat-dampened. Ashley nuzzled his fingers again distractedly, letting him stroke her cheek.

She would never have asked Deca for pills if she hadn't been sure she was ready, but--what did she do now?

"Ash." His voice was softer now, and she wondered then what her face must look like. "I... Is this really what _you_ want?"

Ashley let out a quiet sigh and reached up to take hold of the hand still on her cheek. She held his hand between both of hers, sliding her fingers across his.

"Are you really what I want, you mean." Her palm flattened against his.

Andros was silent as she twined their fingers together. "Am I?" he asked finally, fingers tightening over hers.

"Of course you are," she murmured, and kissed him. "You're all I want."

He smiled at her words, and she knew then that he had never really doubted her. Ashley felt him warm and hard against her thigh as she leaned forward and kissed him, her hands buried in his soft hair.

Tentatively, he caressed her lower back. Ashley sucked in her breath when his touch wandered slowly higher, goosebumps rising up along her spine in the wake of his trailing fingers.

Ashley shivered as she slid off of his lap. Her hands trembled just a little nervously as she caught the hem of her t-shirt and pulled it up, Andros's fingers brushing hers as he helped her. He caught her fingers as her arms lowered, bringing them to his lips.

She smiled at the gesture, giggling a little in uncertainty. Andros kissed her fingers, her wrists, and didn't let go of her when she lay back, instead holding tightly to her fingers as he followed her. His chest rose and fell rapidly as he knelt awkwardly over her, the ends of his long hair tickling her cheeks.

Ashley pulled one hand from his to tuck hair behind his ears. She made a face when it fell back just as it was before. Andros looked suddenly like he was fighting not to laugh and she pressed a light kiss to his lips with a smile. His answering smile came readily as she laid her hand against his shoulder, her fingers beginning a slow walk down his chest.

Andros stared down at her, wide-eyed, as she traced one long scar from just below his nipple to his navel. His eyes closed, his face darkened by lingering pain. "KO-35," he whispered. "I thought I was strong enough."

"You were." She rubbed his back, her hands hesitating at his sides. "You survived and you're here now, and that's all that matters."

For a moment, she thought he would argue with her. He didn't. Andros nodded slowly and lowered his head, his lips gentle on her neck. Ashley inhaled quickly when she felt his hand slide up her ribcage, letting out a deep breath when his fingers brushed against the bottom of her breasts.

"Ash?" He drew back to look at her, worriedly biting his lip.

She felt her cheeks flush, but she couldn't keep from smiling. "I'm fine."

Her breath hitched when his thumb brushed across her nipple. Ashley's fists clenched around the waistband of his pajama pants as a shiver ran through her. He touched her hand gently and shook his head, reaching back to seize the hem of the blankets.

Andros drew the covers up over both of them. He relaxed then enough to let her touch him and she was somehow brave enough to let him undress her the rest of the way, her stomach a twisted mess of want and anxiety as he caressed her thighs.

Her bare legs rubbed against his, and she swallowed hard. She was breathing just as heavily as he was, her palms sweaty where she touched his shoulders.

"Ash," he muttered, his voice as stiff as his body suddenly was.

She reached up to stroke his cheek. "Nervous?" she murmured, and his nod only confirmed what she already knew. "Good," she whispered and slid her arms around his neck. "I didn't want to be the only one."

She saw his lips curve up into a smile at that and he leaned down to kiss her mouth softly. Ashley hugged him close, clutching at his shoulders as he slid himself inside her. It didn't hurt, exactly, but when he felt for her hands, she held on tight as they moved together in awkward rhythm that still managed somehow to be completely perfect.

Nothing mattered but this, with him, right now. All she knew was that she never wanted this to end, never wanted to have to let him go, and when his body shuddered against hers it was too soon. Ashley slid her arms around him and hugged him tight, not caring how hard she was breathing or how heavy he was. She didn't have to let him go just yet.

"Andros," she whispered his name in his ear, her voice still breathless.

Ashley thought she heard him chuckle slightly. "That's me," he murmured, still panting.

She giggled then, knowing that she didn't have the words. Andros laid his head down on her shoulder, his breathing harsh in her ear and she held onto him, just laying there with him in the darkness.


	32. Chapter 32

**Disclaimer:**I don't own the Power Rangers.

**Author's Note:** I'm back::grins:: My love to you all for being so patient!

Happy New Year, everyone. :)

**Chapter 32**

Ashley had slept snuggled close to him, all warmth and soft skin where she pressed against him. Somewhere between wakefulness and dreaming, Andros felt her there beside him; he opened his eyes expecting to find her still there.

Finding her wide awake and smiling at him was more than he had anticipated.

He swallowed, suddenly anxious, his heart thudding so quickly he could barely breathe, his palms sweaty as he clenched his fists. Her mouth covered his before he could think, her kiss soft and gentle but insistent, unrelenting until he returned it.

"Morning," she whispered against his mouth, tickling his lips with her breath.

"Hi," he muttered back. She kissed him again, and this time he couldn't help but smile.

"I like this," Ashley offered quietly a few moments later.

"So do I..." He caught his breath when she nuzzled closer. She tensed for just an instant. Andros wasn't so quick to relax; her bare skin rubbed against his and for that moment, it was all that he was aware of.

Her fingers brushed his cheek. "Andros?"

Only when he opened his eyes did he realize that he had closed them. "I'm fine," he said, in answer to her unasked question. He touched her hair, brushing it out of her eyes as he realized that he was smiling again. "Thank you."

She looked confused, but she laughed warmly and tucked her head against his shoulder. "Of course," she murmured. She touched a kiss to his skin. "I love you."

He closed his eyes as her words washed over him, warm and peaceful and perfectly content to lie here with her forever. There was nothing more important than this; there was nothing that couldn't wait.

Ashley kissed his neck as she shifted beside him, her fingers brushing lightly over his chest. Andros caught her hand and raised himself up on one elbow, studying her closely with her fingers still in his.

"Andros?" She pushed herself halfway up, her free hand holding the blankets to her chest.

He kissed her fingers. Her face relaxed into a smile and she lay back, giggling quietly as he kissed the tip of her thumb.

"You're sweet," she murmured, her voice swallowed by a yawn. "I love you."

She'd said that twice now, he realized, brushing his lips over the inside of her wrist. He lay his head down on her arm, for a moment just watching her. "I love you too, Ash."

* * *

"Hmph." Astronema narrowed her eyes at the screen in front of her as it went black. Yesterday it had been Divatox, today it was Lord Zedd. Could none of them solve their own problems? Why must they bother her with their nonsense?

The comm chimed again, and she growled. _"What!"_

"Astronema!"

She swallowed her fury instantly. "Dark Spectre," she murmured. "I did not expect--"

"There is a traitor amongst us," he spat at her. "Find them."

"A traitor, you say?" She frowned at him. "What makes you suspect--"

"My powers are being drained," he said. His arms flailed about as he spoke, perhaps for emphasis. Or perhaps not. If she didn't know better, she would think that he was panicked. "You must find the traitor, Astronema."

"Of course," she said. "I will not disappoint you, Dark Spectre."

"You had better not." He terminated the connection from his end, and she smiled to herself.

"Old fool," she muttered. "Ecliptor!"

"Yes, my princess?" He came from nowhere to stand at her side.

Astronema frowned at him. What did he know? "Dark Spectre fears a traitor," was all she said. "I want you to find Darkonda."

"You suspect him?" His eyes glinted. "Excellent."

"Yes," she whispered as he bowed and then left her. "Excellent."

Alone in her quarters, she contemplated her options now. She hadn't realized how quickly the Psychos would drain the monarch, though perhaps it was best that way. He would be gone too quickly to suspect her.

Darkonda was an easy target, almost too easy, she feared. Yet it would keep Ecliptor from becoming aware of her plan, and that was as she wanted it. For now, at least, there was no one to trust but herself.

Astronema stroked the locket around her neck idly. Yes... it was best to trust only herself. She had nearly fallen for the Red Ranger's trap. It had been a moment of startling foolishness, but Dark Spectre had forgiven her and she would see to it that she never made that mistake again. The Rangers wanted only to defeat her. She must never trust them.

Why, then, she wondered, did she keep this useless trinket? It was a useless piece of trash, part of the Red Ranger's plan to brainwash her. Her fingers curled around the locket, but she did not remove it. She could not think of a reason to keep it, but still she wore it.

Her head ached. Astronema rubbed her eyes with a sigh, then stood and strode out of the room. The Psycho Rangers stood waiting on the Bridge where she had summoned them.

Her mood brightened. She smiled at them sweetly. "I want you to bring me a Ranger."

* * *

Andros tried not to smile too much. He couldn't seem to help it, though, and found himself biting his lip through breakfast. Ashley took longer to shower than he did, and he supposed he should be thankful for that, at least. 

He'd hardly managed to make it through three bites when Zhane shot him a sharp look. "Well, what is it?"

"What?" Out of the corner of his eye, Andros saw TJ watching them curiously. He took a larger than normal bite and took his time chewing.

If Ashley hadn't walked in, Zhane might have let it go. But she came and slid her arms around his neck, hugging him tight and there was nothing he could do but hug her back. He felt his smile widen as Ashley leaned her head against his, and he almost didn't care that Zhane's look was suddenly knowing.

_"So it's true, then."_

_"What?"_ Andros followed Ashley with his eyes as she went to the Synthetron, glancing back at Zhane with a frown.

His friend just smirked at him. _"I'd heard getting laid was an excellent stress reliever."_

_"I don't know what you're talking about."_

Ashley's hand brushed his shoulder as she took the stool next to his. He turned to smile at her, happily ignoring Zhane. "Hi," he said quietly.

She grinned at him over the top of her juice. "Morning."

TJ spoke before Zhane could. "I had an idea."

Andros nodded to him. "Go on."

"Have you guys noticed there's a Psycho Ranger for each of us but him?" TJ waved his hand in Zhane's direction. "That first time, it was like they read our minds."

"They_did_ read our minds." Andros frowned. "What are you thinking?"

TJ leaned his elbows on the table as he glanced at each of them. "What do you think would happen if I fought Psycho Black? Or if you, Ash, fought Psycho Red?"

"Oh!" Ashley's face brightened as she understood. "Do you think it'll work?"

"It's worth a try," Andros decided. He glanced at TJ and Zhane; both nodded, and he smiled faintly. "Deca, are Cassie and Carlos awake?"

"Affirmative," she replied.

"Tell them to meet us on the Simudeck," he said. "Let's see if it works in simulation."

* * *

Cassie was in danger. Arietis sipped his drink with a sigh. She was always in danger, as was he. Such was the life of a Ranger. More danger than was usual, then--the Psycho Rangers that she had spoken of the night before were nothing like he had ever encountered. 

He couldn't ignore her this time. Andros's team was certainly capable of defending itself, but he could not leave her--or the rest of his friends--to fight this battle on their own when he could offer some assistance.

He paused.

_Friends._

It had been a long time coming, he thought, and took another sip. Two years, almost, ever since he had crash-landed on Earth. They had been Rangers only a short time, he'd discovered later. At the time, he'd thought it odd that the child Ranger was the veteran member of the team; he'd trained since childhood, as had many of the Rangers that he knew of. His mother had later explained the complicated nature of being a Ranger for Earth, making him surprisingly glad to be Eltaran. Or half Eltaran, at least, and both his father's homeworld and his mother's were capable of accepting reality. There was no need to shelter the citizens of either world, and he sometimes wondered how either of his parents had managed to deal with Earth.

Arietis shook his head as his thoughts strayed. His ship should be refueled by now, and he would stay just for a drink or two more. Tan and Cia were less than pleased by his prolonging the search for Zordon and would be even less so when they learned why. If he could pick up even a few tidbits of information here to placate them, it would be well worth it.

So far, though, he'd found no useful leads. With a sigh, he drained his drink and signaled for another.

"That'll be twenty," the bartender snapped at him. "And none of your cheap coins, neither."

"Certainly." He set the coins on the counter in front of him. As the drink was set in front of him, he dropped another handful on top of him. "Perhaps you could assist me."

"Depends," the woman grunted at him, "on whatcha looking to buy."

"Information," he said quietly.

"Oh, I've got plenty of that," she boasted to him. "I've seen things in here like you wouldn't believe. So, what is it?"

"Not here."

She snorted and swept the coins into the pouch she wore at her waist. "I'm going nowhere with you."

"Excuse me!" An irritated tap on the counter drew her attention away. "I've been waiting--"

"And you'll keep waiting if you don't shut up," she snapped, but she stepped towards them. "What'll it be? Make it quick."

Arietis sighed. He doubted that he would get anything from her now. He watched her a moment longer, debating with himself whether he should try one more time. Deciding against it, he stood to go. He would only waste his time, and he knew better than to attempt to pilot his ship while inebriated.

He glanced at the other customers out of habit before he headed for the door. There was no one else that appeared as though they would be useful to him, though his eyes lingered on the man who had interrupted his conversation a moment ago. The voice sounded vaguely familiar, and that alone was more than enough to convince him that it was time to return to his ship.

* * *

"Ashley, look out!" 

The warning came just an instant too late. Ashley stumbled forward as she was hit from behind. She broke her fall and rolled, hopping back to her feet seconds later, but it was all the time that Psycho Yellow needed.

For the first few moments of battle, TJ's plan had seemed to be working. They had done the best that they could to simulate it beforehand, but even Deca and the Simudeck were no match for the real Psycho Rangers.

She swallowed as she found herself face to face again with Psycho Yellow. A quick glance to the sides told her that her teammates all were against their "own" Psycho Ranger once again, and that none of them had managed to do much damage in the past few minutes.

It had seemed like such a good plan, too...

Something exploded behind her. Ashley heard herself scream as she was knocked off of her feet by the blast, completely weightless for just one instant. She landed in a heap halfway down the block a second later and groaned, dizzy and nauseous as she tried to lift her head.

Far away, she heard someone--Zhane?--yelling for TJ. She thought she heard her name, too, but...

"Yellow Ranger."

This time she was sure of it. Psycho Yellow.

Ashley moved too slowly as she struggled to get back up. To reach for her blaster. Anything. Psycho Yellow caught her firmly, and her world spun again as she was hauled to her feet.

"You're coming with me, Yellow Ranger."

Without warning, darkness came.


	33. Chapter 33

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the Power Rangers.

**Author's Notes:** So, um, short version. My life teh crazy right now. My writing time is shrinking, but I've _finally _gotten to the last important story arc, and that makes me really want to write this story, so, who knows. Much love and many thanks to AH/AY for pretty much handing me this idea waaaay back sometime in 2006, though it's undergone a few changes since then, and will probably undergo a few more as I actually write it down.

Also, the "We Need A Hero" PR fanfic awards that Challon86 and I are running are still open for nominations. The deadline is February 15 (this coming Friday). A link is in my profile page.

Thanks for your patience, and I hope you enjoy. :)

**Chapter 33**

"Still no sign of her."

Andros lifted his head just long enough to see the worry he felt mirrored on Cassie's face. He nodded once before he glanced down at the console in front of him, restraining himself from slamming both fists into it as hard as he could. "Then keep looking."

Almost five hours later, they were no closer to finding Ashley. The terrible feeling in his stomach grew minute by minute until Andros could hardly think. In the moments before his Ranger training had gripped him, he had found himself dangerously close to panic.

He was beyond that now, but until they knew where Ashley was being held, there was nothing that they could do. Andros had ordered Deca to scan as far out as her sensors would allow her while he and the others scanned the Earth, and so far none of them had found any results.

"The Dark Fortress." Carlos spoke up suddenly, and Andros closed his eyes at the suggestion.

"The Psycho Rangers work for Astronema," TJ agreed from somewhere behind him. "It's worth a shot."

Andros let out a deep breath, willing his voice steady. "Deca, can you locate the Dark Fortress?"

"Negative," she replied a moment later.

Andros let out a deep breath. "Keep trying," he ordered. Heartsick at the thought of fighting Astronema face to face, he hoped with all his heart that he wouldn't find Ashley on the Dark Fortress. There was nothing that he wouldn't do to find her, but how could he choose between her and Karone?

He only hoped that he wouldn't have to find out.

"Deca," he said again, frowning as another thought occurred to him. "Is there any trail from when Psycho Yellow grabbed her?"

It would have been a long shot even when she had first been captured, he knew. If the Psycho Rangers used standard teleportation channels at all, they would almost surely use encrypted ones, and Andros had his doubts about how standard the Psycho Rangers did anything. Still, he had to try.

Knowing didn't lessen the disappointment he felt when Deca replied that there was no trail. He lowered his head, sighing. He was running out of ideas, and they didn't have forever to find out where Ashley had been taken. Sooner or later, Astronema would...

Andros swallowed as he tried not to think of it. If he lost Ashley, he would lose Karone with her. He didn't think that he could forgive her that much, Dark Spectre or no Dark Spectre.

"Andros?" Cassie came to stand beside him. She laid a hand on his arm, the gesture so absolute something that Ashley would do that Andros turned to stare at her in surprise. "What are you thinking?"

"Nothing," he muttered. Even the question sounded like Ashley. "Just keep looking."

"Of course we will." She squeezed his arm, looking as though she were trying very hard to smile. She failed. "You're not the only one to love her."

Andros let out a deep breath as he nodded. Her words reassured him as much as they worried him, but he only shook his head and turned back to searching. He'd lost enough people in his life. He wasn't losing Ashley, too.

* * *

One hand reaching for his teleportation device, Arietis froze. It had only been a shadow, but he found himself reaching for the blaster he carried hidden beneath his tunic. This was Onyx, after all. 

Slowly, he turned. He saw no one, but wasn't so easily convinced. "Who's there?" he demanded coldly. "Show yourself."

There was no answer. Still wary, he turned in a circle. The hair on the back of his neck prickled in the way that it did only when he was watched, and he had been watched enough times in his life to know.

"I know that you are there." He spoke slowly, crisply. "I know that you are there, and if you don't show yourself now, you will not like the consequences."

He tried not to sigh when his words were meant with silence, but he was unsurprised. Logic dictated that he teleport himself back to his ship. If whoever was there didn't want to see him face to face, then Arietis probably didn't want to see them face to face, either.

But he was curious to see who had followed him, and he wanted even more to know for how long they had been following him. So he waited, turning slowly, one hand gripping his blaster.

He saw no movement, but he heard it. Whirling out of the way, he morphed without a word. Still holding his blaster in one hand, he had his laser in the other as he saw the glint of light on metal.

He ducked, firing both weapons as he straightened up again. "Darkonda!" he groaned, his eyes finally landing on his attacker. "What are you doing here?"

He needn't have asked, Arietis realized a moment later. This was Onyx, after all, and probably no one spent more time here than Darkonda. Arietis had lost track of how many times he'd spotted Darkonda here, though he'd always been fortunate enough not to run into him directly. His luck hadn't held up today, though that wasn't what nagged at him as he prepared to fire once again.

Darkonda charged at him and Arietis fired both weapons at the same time, wishing that for once Darkonda would drop his sword and fight him hand to hand. He leapt into the air, kicking Darkonda's sword away from him.

He flipped himself backwards the instant his feet touched the ground, firing again as he straightened up. Darkonda dodged his shots easily, darting quickly to the side--directly into another laser blast.

Arietis froze, standing in stunned surprise as more shots came. It hit him then, and he gripped his weapons more tightly. Darkonda hadn't been the man at the bar.

He came out of his shock as he took full advantage of this opportunity. Darkonda was bellowing in outrage, waving his sword madly. Arietis took aim and fired again.

This time, both of his shots found their target. Darkonda screamed something at him in the instant before he vanished, but Arietis didn't hear him and didn't care. He was more concerned with finding out who else had followed him, and why.

"Who are you?" he demanded. He neither demorphed nor lowered either weapon.

"We're friends," a voice called from his right.

Arietis turned slowly, recognizing the speaker as the man who had interrupted his conversation with the bartender earlier. At his side was another man who held a blaster in his hand. It was lowered so that it pointed at the ground, but Arietis watched it warily.

"Who are you?" he repeated. "I do not recognize you."

"You wouldn't," the man with the blaster said. His bitter tone matched his expression. "It's been almost six years since we've been to Eltare."

"A lot can happen in six years," Arietis said cautiously, though he was curious now. "Why are you here now?"

"We came across Darkonda on our way to--on our way home," said the other, older man. "We've had... dealings with him before, and followed him."

"What sort of dealings?" Arietis hadn't missed the quickly edited sentence. Suspicion overshadowed curiosity now, and his voice grew sharper. "I will not trust you blindly."

"Tan of Eltare," the older man said. "He will know us."

If there was anyone that Arietis wished not to speak to at the moment, it was Tan of Eltare. All that he'd wanted was to go to Earth and fight with Cassie and the other Rangers.

He sighed. "If Tan will know you, then I will know you. Give me your names."

"Dad?" The younger one hesitated, and Arietis took a closer look at them both.

He could see the similarity in their brown eyes and both were tall, but the true resemblance between them was their not quite haggard appearance. Whoever they were, they had not had an easy journey.

"I am--" The father stopped, sighing. "I'll tell you everything, just not here. Somewhere safer."

Arietis considered that for a few moments. "You do have a shuttle, am I correct?"

"Yes." He nodded.

"Good." There were few safe locations anymore, but he could still think of a few. "I'll not take you to Tan until I know who you are. Can you make it to Aquitar?"

Another nod, and Arietis let out a deep breath. "It will take you three hours from here to there. I'll meet you there in four. You'll be met by a security escort. Do you object?"

"No," said the older man. "Thank you."

He and his son both smiled, and Arietis suddenly saw the semblance between them--and not just to each other. Chills rippled down his spine. He was suddenly more grateful than ever that he hadn't demorphed; he would have been unable to hide the shock.

"Four hours," he said curtly. Arietis teleported himself out to his ship without a farewell, activating his ship's comm unit without sitting down. "Cia," he said urgently, when he found himself speaking to the Pink Ranger. "I need to speak with Tan. _Now._"

* * *

Her head hurt.

A lot.

Ashley slowly opened her eyes. Throbbing pain exploded inside of her brain when she shifted and she whimpered, squeezing her eyes shut tight as her body curled involuntarily.

Carefully, she let out her breath, and tried to think. She remembered Psycho Yellow grabbing her, and then nothing after that. Until now, waking up in a dingy cell with her wrists cuffed together in front of her.

She wasn't morphed. She doubted that she would be able to stand, much less put up a fight against all five of them, but a lump swelled in her throat at the realization nonetheless. Ashley tried to quash the panic that welled up in her stomach, but without her morph she was utterly defenseless against them.

_Think, Ash. Don't panic._

She swallowed hard, and even that made her head throb. Ashley cradled her head in her arms, moaning, silently counting the breaths that she took.

She had to get out of here.

That only left her the problem of how. She couldn't just wait and do nothing, hoping that her friends would find her. But when something as simple as blinking caused her head to explode in agony and nausea to bubble up inside of her, she could do nothing but lie there and hold as still as she could.

The ground reverberated beneath her. Ashley moaned as she felt it, whimpering when there was a loud bang somewhere close. White stars shone in front of her eyes, an odd ringing in her ears.

"Yellow Ranger."

It was Astronema's voice. Ashley recognized it through the haze of pain, her throat tightening in fear as she tried not to think about what would happen to her now.

"No," she whispered. She tried to whisper; if her lips had even formed the word, that was enough. "Astronema..."

A shadow passed over her face. Ashley thought that Astronema was kneeling over her, but she didn't open her eyes to find out. When Astronema laid a hand on her cheek, Ashley stiffened, only to blink her eyes open in shock when the throbbing in her head vanished.

"What--" she started weakly. She lifted her head slowly, never more grateful for anything when it didn't hurt. "Astronema? Why?"

"How do you feel, Yellow Ranger?" Astronema studied her with that same cool expression, but Ashley caught her breath at the words.

"Karone?" she blurted out. She couldn't help herself--the way that Andros had described her, Astronema hadn't shown even that much emotion.

"What did you call me?" she scowled.

"Nothing," Ashley said quickly. She tried not to sigh. For just one minute, she'd thought that just maybe...

She'd been wrong.

"I want you able to answer when you're questioned," Astronema informed her coldly. Her lips twisted into a cruel smile. "You seem able now."


	34. Chapter 34

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the Power Rangers.

**Author's Notes:** Finally an update! I'm sorry it's been so long; I've been so busy with school again this semester, and it doesn't look like that's going to change anytime soon. I'm on break now, though, and I just had to update tonight. It's taken me a year and a half to get this far. Thank you so much for waiting so patiently for me to find the time to keep telling this story, and thank you, Power Rangers fandom, for the last three years. You guys are the best. :grin: I'll try to have more up within a month. Enjoy! 

**Chapter 34**

"Astronema."

She straightened up irritably, frowning at Ecliptor. She watched out of the corner of her eye as the Yellow Ranger shrank away, the small pleasure she felt as seeing that spoiled by the words Ecliptor spoke next.

"Darkonda has returned to the Dark Fortress."

She gripped her staff as her body tightened in frustration. Darkonda was supposed to be halfway across the universe with Ecliptor following to keep an eye on him, leaving her free and unwatched as she drained Dark Spectre of his powers.

"Get rid of him, then," she snapped, "and do it quickly."

"He wishes to speak with you."

Astronema growled a curse under her breath, finding that she could still manage to smile when she turned back to the Yellow Ranger. "Don't go anywhere," she said sweetly. "Ecliptor will keep you company until I'm back."

She pushed past Ecliptor, striding into the hall. By the time she arrived at the Bridge, she was in a foul mood. "What," she growled, "are _you_ doing here?"

"Ah, Astronema," Darkonda greeted her, his smile cold. "I have news for you."

"It had _better_be good." She was tempted to wave her staff at him menacingly, thinking better of it even as she did so. She might want to hear him out. "What is it?"

"I came across the Phantom Ranger on Onyx," Darkonda informed her. "We dueled when we were interrupted by two... unexpected allies of his."

"Well, who was it?" Impatient, she narrowed her eyes at him. "Just tell me and get off of my ship."

"You were a child, too young to remember," he said, and she bristled. "But perhaps Ecliptor has told you some of the history of the Karovan Rangers."

* * *

"Five years it's been." Tan's voice, skeptical and disbelieving, filled the small shuttle. "Nearly six. Are you certain?"

"Nearly." Arietis hesitated. The less he said now, the better. "I do intend for the Aquitans to scan their DNA."

"Yes," Tan said shortly. "Do that, and then any other test that the Aquitans have the capability to perform. Dark Spectre's forces have been searching for us, and it is entirely too convenient that they have made their reappearance _now._"

Arietis made a quiet noise of acknowledgment, sighing as he stretched his arms above his head. "How close have they come?"

"Cia was nearly caught on patrol a week ago." There was a brief pause. "We're still unsure whether or not the quantrons had time to report us before we destroyed them. Take care when you return."

"I will. But about this more pressing matter..." Again, he hesitated. The names that they had given him were not the same names that Tan knew them by, and he was unsure of which to use. "They introduced themselves to me as Dan and Jon."

"Those are not their names," Tan snapped at him.

Arietis sighed. "But they are the names that they've given me, and I'll not call them anything else until they have given me their permission to do so."

"Fine," Tan relented, to Arietis's surprise. "But do be sure of who they are before you call me again."

"Of course." He tried not to sigh. "As you wish."

Tan cut the connection with a few short words of farewell. Arietis gave in to the urge to sigh. He passed a hand over his face, tired, and sat there for a few moments more, not sure what to do next.

It came to him a moment later, and he tapped his communicator. "Cassie?"

* * *

Astronema rubbed her temples with a sigh. She'd thrown Darkonda off of the Dark Fortress out of spite, but her head still ached. There was no end to his incompetence. Why Dark Spectre had given him a dozen or more lives, she couldn't fathom.

"Ecliptor!" she shouted. "Get in here."

"Yes, my princess?" He was at her side in moments. 

She smiled at him faintly. He, at least, was faithful to her. "You heard Darkonda's story."

Ecliptor inclined his head towards her. He didn't dispute the accusation. She hadn't expected him to. "Yes, princess."

"What do you think of it?" 

"Dark Spectre will not be pleased with him if he is indeed telling the truth," Ecliptor answered slowly. "This could work to your advantage when you approach Dark Spectre and inform him that you've caught the traitor."

She looked at him, startled. "Oh," she said slowly, biting her tongue as she remembered. "Yes. That. I think it would be wise if I waited. Just to be sure," she added, when he looked at her as skeptically as he was able. "I would not like to be caught making false accusations."

There had to have been a better way to phrase that. She winced inwardly, holding her breath.

Ecliptor wasn't fooled. "But they are not false accusations, are they, princess?"

"No," Astronema said, sighing. "Of course not. I'm curious, though," she said, hoping that he wouldn't question her quick change of subject. "He could have killed them. Obviously, it would have been wiser to have done so. I'm aware that he enjoys prolonging the pain of his... victims--" She hesitated over the term, but continued nonetheless, "but would he be so willing to jeopardize his standing in Dark Spectre's eyes? He was not granted so may lives for nothing."

"Not for nothing, no," Ecliptor said quietly. He watched her silently for a moment after that, and something nagged at her. 

Uneasy, Astronema turned away from him. "How did he know them? He told me that they'd gone missing nearly a year ago--he can't have been tracking them for that long if he was occupied with Dark Spectre's orders."

"That I do not know," Ecliptor said. "These questions would be best put to Darkonda himself, though I don't advise you to call him back to answer them."

"No," she agreed. "I don't want to see him here aga--"

"Hey, uh, Astronema?" Elgar laughed to himself as he poked his misshapen head into the room.

"_What?_" she growled. She was not in the mood to deal with him now, on top of everything else. "It had _better_ be good."

"It's just, uh, that the--uh, you know--the Psycho Rangers. They're getting a bit, uh, antsy waiting for you and all, and with the Yellow Ranger just there..."

"Tell them to wait," she snapped. "They'll do nothing without my permission first."

"Well, uh..."

She rubbed her forehead. "Do you want to play with Scrudley?"

"No!" Elgar all but yelped, and she felt a momentary flash of pleasure.

"Then_get in there_, and get them under control," she snapped. "I'll be there soon."

"Do you think that is... wise?" Ecliptor asked her quietly, the faintest hint of amusement in his tone as Elgar left the room.

"Oh," she said, smiling, "no. Not at all." 

* * *

This was bad. Ashley pulled on the cuffs, swallowing hard. She could hear the Psychos outside her cell, and drew her legs closer to herself. They had been standing out there, pacing, for what felt like hours now, and she didn't know why.

"Never thought I'd be wishing for Astronema," she muttered aloud to herself, sighing. _I need to get out of here._

But how? She couldn't fight all five of them, even if she could somehow break out of her cell, and then there were the cuffs to take into account. No, she wasn't going to be able to fight her way out of this one.

_Think, Ash..._

It came to her a minute later, and she groaned silently at her own slowness. Her morpher was still strapped around her wrist, covered by her sleeve and by the cuffs. She could feel it digging into her skin if she twisted her arm just right, and sighed, wondering first why they had let her keep it and then why it had taken her so long to notice.

_Give yourself a break,_ she told herself finally. She clumsily pushed her hair out of her face, rubbing her tired eyes. _It's hard to think with a concussion._

Not that it had ever stopped Andros from trying, if what Zhane had told her was true. Ashley almost smiled. If Andros could escape from Darkonda without his morpher, then she could escape from the Dark Fortress with hers.

Somehow.

Astronema's voice in the hall broke her away from her thoughts, and Ashley bit her lip. She couldn't understand the words anymore clearly than she could understand what the Psycho Rangers had been saying earlier, but Astronema's tone was sharp and angry. That didn't bode well for her, but if it would keep the Psycho Rangers away for just a little longer... 

Ashley was sure now that she'd seen a flash of Karone earlier. If she could just talk to her, somehow...

But Andros and Zhane had been the ones to get through to her the first time around, and they hadn't been able to this time. She remembered the two broken hearts that had come back from the Dark Fortress, sighing quietly to herself. 

It was probably wishful thinking on her part, she admitted to herself. If she could somehow give Andros his sister back, she would do it in a heartbeat. After everything that he'd been put through in his life, he deserved at least that much, and there was no one else who would love Karone the way that Andros did. The way that Zhane did.

It wasn't fair. She almost laughed. Here she was, a prisoner on the Dark Fortress, thinking that it wasn't fair that her captor didn't know that her brother loved her and wanted her back.

Except that it wasn't fair, and it might matter someday. She doubted that Andros had it in him to fight Karone to the death. She didn't know about Zhane, but she knew how loyal he was to both Andros and Karone. She could only guess with loyalty would win in the end, if it came to be tested.

And it probably would be tested. There was no better way to destroy the Rangers than to force them to choose amongst themselves, she realized suddenly.

A sick feeling slowly formed in her stomach. Was that why Astronema had brought her here? To force her friends to choose between their safety and her own?

Ashley would fight for herself, and her friends would fight for her. She knew that Andros would fight for her. What she didn't know was if Andros would kill for her, but she was certain that she had no right to ask or expect it of him. For so many years, he had had no other purpose in life but to fight Astronema and Dark Spectre and to search for Karone. She knew it would kill him to hurt Karone, even as Astronema.

If he was forced to because of her...

Ashley swallowed. She didn't know what she would do then. Even if he forgave her for making him choose, he would never forgive himself. Either way, she would lose him, he would lose everything, and their team would fall apart.

That was a cheery thought. Ashley bit her lip. She had to get herself out of here, before her friends tried to rescue her and walked straight into some trap of Astronema's. As if going up against the Psycho Rangers on Astronema's ship wouldn't be enough of a trap, and she knew that they would risk it to save her.

She couldn't let them risk that. She didn't know if they even knew where she was, but she couldn't let them risk so much saving her if they didn't have to. She had to get herself out of here before someone was hurt.

Ashley twisted her arm slowly, trying to work her morpher free. If she had just that much of an added advantage, maybe she could make it past them. That was if the door opened and they didn't catch her on her way out, assuming that she could also manage to successfully evade Astronema, Ecliptor, the Psycho Rangers, and who knew how many quantrons, and all on their own ship. The odds of that were not in her favor.

Still... if she had a chance, then she had to take it.

She sighed in frustration when she couldn't seem to twist her arm free. The cuffs were on too tight, and she couldn't brace herself against anything. She didn't know if it would even help any if she could, but she looked around the empty cell and felt another wave of desperation.

The door slid open then before she could try again, and Ashley jumped. She abandoned her attempts to work her morpher free as Astronema watched her from the doorway. Ashley held her breath as she came closer, still silent, her expression unreadable. 

The door clanged shut after her, and Ashley swallowed hard. She wasn't surprised by it, but for an instant, she was terrified. It wasn't as if she was waiting for anyone else to keep Astronema from whatever she was going to do next, but the cell suddenly felt smaller. Much smaller, and Ashley felt that much more trapped.

"Yellow Ranger."

The words startled her. Astronema didn't say anymore, still watching her, and Ashley bit her lip. She didn't want to provoke her, but... 

She had to try. Not only for Andros, but for herself, for Zhane, for all of her friends.

"Karone," she said softly, pleading quietly. "I know you're in there. I know you can hear me. You have to listen to me."


	35. Chapter 35

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the Power Rangers.

**Author's Notes:** I know it's been forever. I've got one week before finals and then three weeks before I go to summer school, and I plan to spend it writing like crazy. Hopefully, it won't be too long before I can get the next chapter up. Anyway, we're finally moving into the last major story arc, so thanks for sticking around with me for this long! We're going somewhere now. :laughs:

**Chapter 35**

"My sensors are now detecting the location of the Dark Fortress."

Andros's head snapped up at Deca's unexpected announcement. Relief crashed down on him, loosening the taut muscles of his body, and he let himself breathe for what felt like the first time in hours.

"Where?" he demanded. "Tell the others to meet us in--"

"Wait a minute." Zhane caught his hand when Andros reached for his morpher, frowning. "You don't think that's a little too convenient? We haven't seen the Dark Fortress in weeks, and all of a sudden--"

"Deca, where?" Andros pulled his hand away.

"I believe that Zhane makes a valid point," Deca agreed. "It's likely that--"

"I don't _care_!" he shouted, overwhelmed by his frustration. "It's been six hours with no sign of her, and if this is our only chance, then I'm going to take it."

"You won't do anyone any favors by walking into an ambush," Zhane said quietly.

Andros breathed out, slowly, fists clenched. "I hate this," he muttered. What Zhane said had merit, but when he weighed that risk against what could be happening to Ashley each moment that they did nothing, he wondered why he was still standing here.

"I know." Zhane squeezed his shoulder, and Andros tried not to sigh again. "We're going to get her back. But think--if Astronema captures you, Ashley's not going to be better off."

She'd probably be worse off, Andros admitted to himself.

"All right," he muttered. "You're right. We'll need a plan."

"Deca, get everyone in here," Zhane said. "The sooner we get her away from Astronema, the better off we'll all be."

The sting of hearing Zhane call Karone "Astronema" had faded some, but it still hurt--this was his best friend, who'd told him that he was in love with Karone. Andros knew Zhane better than anyone, and if even Zhane had given up on her, how long would it be before he did, too?

He tried not to think of that.

He failed.

* * *

She didn't know what to make of Astronema's hesitation. Ashley held her breath, watching. It could be a trap. It probably was, she admitted to herself--if Andros and Zhane couldn't break through to Karone, what made her think she she could?

"What could you possibly have to say that I would want to hear?" Astronema scoffed finally, her eyes narrowed to slits.

Ashley let out her breath in defeat. She swallowed, her stomach twisting anxiously. There had to be _something_ that she could say. "Karone," she started again.

Her captor smiled back coldly. "I am Astronema."

"Are you?"

She shouldn't have said that. Ashley tensed as Astronema came closer, but her staff remained pointed at the ceiling.

"Yes," she said quietly, "I am, I always have been, and I always will be."

Ashley didn't know what else to say. She didn't want to provoke Astronema anymore than she already had, but she couldn't give up now, either.

She'd just run out of ideas when the alarm shrilled. Surprise, and then annoyance, flickered across Astronema's face, and Ashley caught her breath. _Andros..._ It had to be him.

"Don't go anywhere," Astronema smirked at her. She left the room without another word, and Ashley let out a deep breath.

It had to be Andros. He'd gotten himself captured trying to rescue her, and now... She choked back a sob, tears burning her eyes. If she'd been more aware during the fight, if she'd been faster, then none of this ever would have happened.

When Astronema returned, it was with Andros held firmly in the grip of three quantrons and guarded by a half dozen more. Ashley swallowed, but Andros didn't look at her--his attention was fixed wholly on his sister, his face unreadable.

Astronema stared straight back at him, disdain mixed with amusement on her face. "If I thought it would be this easy, I'd have ordered Ecliptor to leave the hatch open for you."

"Karone, you need to listen to me." Andros ignored her words, pleading with her. "You have to--"

"I am Astronema," she said coolly. Her eyes turned to the quantrons. "Release him."

Ashley held her breath as the quantrons restraining Andros slowly loosened their grip. He elbowed them out of his way, and she smiled faintly, just relieved that he was able to stand on his own feet.

"Leave." Astronema narrowed her eyes at the quantrons, smiling coldly at Andros. "Well, Red Ranger. I'll give you a choice. Should I begin with you--or with her?"

Ashley swallowed. Andros looked at her for the first time since he'd been brought into the room, his face still impassive. "Ash," he said softly. He didn't say anything more, and she was the one to look away.

"Well?" Astronema fingered her staff, smiling at him. "Can't decide?"

"I--Karone, don't--"

Ashley squeezed her eyes shut, but there was nothing she could do to block out Andros's screams. There was a thud as he fell to the floor, and she opened her eyes, her heart thudding furiously.

"Karone is dead," Astronema spat at him. "I am Astronema, and you are my prisoner."

"No," Andros muttered. "No, Karone..."

Ashley winced when Astronema prodded his arm with the point of her staff. Eyes closed, Andros did nothing to acknowledge her.

"You leave me no choice, then, Red Ranger," Astronema said. "Yellow Ranger--"

The alarm shrilled.

Ashley jumped.

Astronema raised her head, almost smiling. "At this rate, we'll have the whole team in here by dinnertime."

"Ugh." Andros groaned softly, carefully raising his head as Astronema stormed out of the cell.

Ashley saw him wince, and crawled closer to him. "Hey," she whispered. "Andros."

"Ash..." He rubbed his forehead with one hand, grimacing. "Ash, are you all right?"

"I'm fine." She brushed her fingers over his as best she could with her hands cuffed together, frowning. "Are you?"

"I'll be fine." He sat up slowly, pushing hair out of his face. "That's Zhane."

"Him too?" She stared at him, swallowing. "But--"

"It's not what you're thinking," Andros said. She thought he smiled faintly. "Just wait a few minutes."

"What?" She frowned. "Andros, what's going on?"

"Zhane's volunteered to keep Astronema distracted," he explained. "Everyone else will get us out of here."

"But--" She stopped and swallowed, shaking her head. If they were all caught rescuing her...

"We'll be out of here in a few minutes." Andros touched her hand, squeezing her fingers hard, and she let out a deep breath.

"You'd better be right," she muttered. "How are we--" She stopped speaking when the door opened, her eyes widening as three quantrons stepped into the cell.

"Right on time," Andros said, and she turned to look at him in surprise even as one quantron stepped closer.

"Hold out your arms," it said.

Ashley gaped. "Teej?"

She though she heard him laughing as she held out her arms to him. He held a blaster in his hands, and aimed it at the cuffs. Ashley turned her head away as he fired. She felt a moment of intense heat, and then the cuffs clattered to the floor, her arms free.

"Come on," said the quantron nearest the door with Carlos's voice. "Let's get you guys out of here."

"Can you walk?" Andros helped her to her feet.

"I'll be fine." She nodded, following TJ out the door. "But Astronema... the Psycho Rangers..."

"No sweat," Cassie told her, almost cheerfully. "We're your guards."

Ashley just nodded. She caught Andros's hand and held on as Carlos led them through the Dark Fortress, Cassie and TJ following behind on either side. She felt him squeeze her fingers and breathed a little easier, just hoping that it looked like the two of them were being escorted elsewhere by a guard.

"Zhane?" she muttered quietly, hearing laser fire coming from ahead of them.

"He's fine," Andros answered her just as softly. "Don't worry about him."

He sounded awfully confident of that. Ashley wondered just how sure of himself he really was, but then, everything seemed to be going according to plan.

They all stopped when TJ did, and he poked his head around the corner. He pulled off his mask when he turned back to face them, nodding. "Morph, now."

Cassie and Carlos quickly shed their suits, and Ashley flipped her morpher open. She looked to Andros out of habit, and he gave them all a quick nod. "Let's rocket!"

They took the quantrons by surprise as they rounded the corner; TJ managed to blast four out of their way before the attack was returned. Ashley fired at the quantron directly in front of her, keeping pace with the rest of her team as she ran for the open hatch.

Andros shouted for his glider, and she did the same, leaping into the air and propelling herself forward. Her feet touched the glider's surface and she shot up and into the air, soaring over Astronema's head as she sped forward into space.

"Come on!" Zhane caught up to them, glancing back over his shoulder. "She's ordering them into the velocifighters now."

Andros nodded once. "Let's get out of here."

* * *

It was good to be home. Ashley left her towel on the floor, idly rubbing her wrists with a sigh. She was sore, but she wasn't injured. She wondered about Astronema healing her, but she was sick of thinking of Astronema now. All she wanted was to lie down and rest, and think of something pleasant.

Andros was waiting for her when she stepped out of her bathroom. Ashley paused in the doorway, unsurprised to see him sitting on her bed. "Hi," she said softly.

He stood, smiling when she came closer. Ashley felt her lip quiver when she tried to smile back, her throat tightening without warning. She swallowed, squeezing her eyes shut as she felt Andros wrap his arms around her.

"You're safe now," he murmured, but she couldn't keep those tears from sliding down her cheeks. "Ash."

"I--I know." She sniffled, angry as she tried not to cry. "I'm sorry."

"No," he said gently. He held her closer, refusing to let her pull away. "You don't need to be."

She couldn't stop herself then, and just cried into his shoulder. Andros didn't say a word as she clung to him, stroking her hair with one hand as he held her. He was warmth against her and she couldn't let him go, remembering how cold she had been, how scared.

She didn't know how much time passed before he whispered her name. Ashley shook her head and held onto him. She didn't want to talk. She didn't want anything except for him to stay here with her.

"Ash," he said softly. "Look at me."

Slowly, reluctant to release him, she did. His fingers brushed her cheek, wiping her tears away, and she managed a weak smile. "Thanks," she whispered, not trusting herself to speak more than that.

"I--" He stopped, and she watched him swallow. "You scared me."

"I'm sorry," she whispered. She blinked, feeling tears in her eyes again. "I--I didn't mean--"

"I know." Andros sighed, slowly pulling her close again. "I was so afraid that I wouldn't find you before she..."

He left the thought unfinished. Ashley squeezed him hard, her eyes closed. "Me too."

Andros held her silently after that, but the way he tightened his grip when she started to pull away told her everything she needed to know.

"I just want to sit down," she said, giving him a gentle nudge. "Andros."

"Oh," he said. "Right." He watched her for a few moments, hesitating. "You're probably tired."

She was, and her exhaustion only grew as she sank down onto the bed. Andros half-turned towards the door, like he was going to leave, and she frowned, leaning forward to catch his hand. "Where are you going?"

Surprise flickered across his face when she pulled gently on his hand, but he paused only to take off his boots before he joined her in her bed. Ashley laid her head down on his shoulder, her eyes closed as she leaned against him and breathed in the familiar scent of his hair.

"Don't go," she whispered.

"I won't," he murmured back just as quietly. Andros hugged her close, sighing into her hair.

She lifted her head to look at him. "Andros?"

He let out a deep breath. "It's nothing."

"Andros."

It was a long time before he spoke. "That's the closest I've been to Karone since Dark Spectre took her back," he said finally, "and I--I'm not sure if she's still there."

Ashley bit her lip when he looked at her. "Andros, I..." She couldn't break his heart.

He lowered his eyes, looking away, and she remembered suddenly that she hadn't told him. "She healed me," she said. "Astronema, I mean."

"She did?" Andros looked at her hopefully. "Why?"

"I don't know," she said.

"Oh." Disappointment clouded his face.

She snuggled a little closer. "Karone's in there somewhere," she murmured. "You'll get her back."

The ghost of a smile touched his face. "Thanks," he said quietly. "Rest, Ash."

It felt like she had just closed her eyes when Deca spoke, but it might have been hours. Ashley heard her mention the Phantom Ranger and closed her eyes again, tightening her hold on Andros when he shifted.

"No," she mumbled. "No, stay."

"I'll be right back." Andros nudged her gently. Reluctantly, Ashley blinked her eyes open to see him frowning. "Deca says it's urgent."

Ashley sat up slowly, rubbing sleep out of her eyes. "What's wrong?"

"I don't know." He didn't look worried, though, and that could only be a good thing.

"Mind if I come with you?"

She smiled a little sheepishly when he looked at her, but she didn't care. She didn't want to be alone. He nodded, holding out his hand to her as he looked up at Deca. "We'll be there in a minute."


	36. Chapter 36

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the Power Rangers.

**Notes:** I'm back! Sorry about the wait--first there was school and then I couldn't remember what the heck I was doing, writing all of these stories. But my inspiration is back, and it'll hopefully stick around for awhile. :crosses fingers:

This story was posted in October of 2006, but I wrote the first scenes in the spring of that year. (These were really dark moments that haven't yet made it into the posted story, and probably never will be, but they were a great way to unstressify myself the semester I was taking statistics.) At the same time, some of the wonderful friends I've made through fandom and I were bouncing ideas back and forth between each other. The idea that makes up the last arc of the story came from AH/AY. I'd planned at one point to make it a separate story all on its own, but when I realized that I'd be writing almost the same story twice, I decided to throw them together and hope for the best. I'm actually a bit skeptical about it now, but it's been referenced briefly in passing earlier in the story and also, I'm curious to see what happens when my story does something vaguely resembling what it was supposed to do.

So, once again, thank you for sticking with me and this story for so long, and here we go...

**Chapter 36**

"Andros."

"It's good to hear from you again, Arietis," Andros said, frowning as he studied the Phantom Ranger's troubled expression. "What is it?"

"Tracking Zordon led me back to Onyx," Arietis told him. Andros watched his gaze shift towards Ashley before coming back to meet his own. "The man seated next to me at the bar looked vaguely familiar, I thought, but I couldn't recognize him until he and his son attacked Darkonda."

"Darkonda?" Ashley's hand brushed his, and Andros tried to relax. "What was he doing there?"

"Darkonda is not important now," Arietis said. "These men are."

He stopped, hesitating, and Andros sighed. "Who are they?"

"You will find this hard to believe," Arietis said. "They've been thought dead for six years, but you... were familiar with them."

Six years ago he'd been a child slave on a world that saw nothing wrong with that. A sick feeling slowly started to spread through his stomach. "Who?" he repeated quietly.

"Karovans," Arietis told him. "Val and his son Eiran."

"But--" Andros shook his head, disbelieving. "Their shuttle was shot down. I _saw_ them crash back to Viton."

Arietis nodded. "I'm not disputing that, and neither are they--but we've run every test on them that the Aquitians are capable of running, and the results have been conclusive every time. These men are Val and Eiran of KO-35."

_Impossible. _No matter how he repeated the words to himself, Andros couldn't think of a way that they could have survived. "The shuttle caught fire."

"So they told me." Arietis inclined his head to Andros, but he was certain. "We have no doubts as to their identity, only many questions."

"Yes," Andros said slowly. He had many questions for them himself. "Where are they now?"

"They each had some food, and the Aquitians have provided them each with a room for the night. They offered to accommodate them longer, but I'll be escorting them to the Megaship in the morning, with your permission. I believe it would be in your best interest to allow this, Andros," he added, when Andros opened his mouth to protest. "Your team should speak with them before the Eltarans do."

"Why?" he demanded. "You've given me no reason why I should allow them onboard with so little information, and my own personal experience with them leads me to believe that our team is better off without them here."

"I have some... suspicions about them," Arietis admitted. "I would like them confirmed."

"What sort of suspicions?" Andros watched the Phantom Ranger warily. "There's something you haven't told me."

"Yes." He nodded. "But I won't discuss it until I'm certain that I'm right. I see no need to complicate multiple lives needlessly."

"We don't just live here," Andros reminded him, frowning. "The Megaship is a weapon that we can't afford to lose, especially not now. We've had multiple battles with Astronema's Psycho Rangers now, and I can't see that they've been affected at all. I won't risk the Megaship."

"They have information for you," Arietis told him. "They've spent enough time on Onyx to have picked up three or four likely locations where Dark Spectre is holding Zordon."

"You should have mentioned that before." Andros frowned. "They could tell you just as easily as they could me, and I want to know why two escaped slaves everyone thought were dead for six years were in Onyx Tavern."

"They weren't able to find a way to travel home without arousing suspicion."

"KO-35--"

"They were going to Earth."

"They... were?" Andros couldn't think of a response to that.

"Why Earth?" Ashley had been standing off to the side, letting him speak, but now she looked at Arietis curiously.

"Their family spent several years in hiding on Earth," Arietis said. He was still watching Andros. "As far as they know, their relatives are still there."

"They've been on Earth all this time?" Andros demanded, not giving Ashley a chance to respond. "Why couldn't I find them?"

"They didn't want to be found." Arietis gave him a look that Andros couldn't quite figure out. "We'll be there tomorrow morning. Your team needs to meet with them."

"We'll meet with them," Andros relented, sighing. He pressed his lips into a thin line. "I want them empty handed and weaponless."

"Of course. I accept full responsibility for them while they're on the Megaship," Arietis added. "They'll do you no harm."

They already had, and Andros tried not to sigh again. "We'll be expecting you."

"Hey." Ashley's hand was on his arm the instant he cut the connection with Arietis, gently prodding him to face her. "Are you okay?"

"I'm... fine," he said slowly. He ran his fingers through his hair, staring at her face as he tried to think. "I--I just... I didn't expect this. I thought..."

"You were twelve," she said. She looked worried now, and he couldn't figure out why. "You were just a kid."

"I know." He did know that. "I thought they were dead, Ash." He'd never wondered if they could have survived the crash. The shuttle had had just scraps for armor, and the patrol crafts had all been armed...

Ashley squeezed his arm when he sighed. "You told me that they tried to kill you."

"Yeah." Andros shook his head as he sat down in his seat, frowning at her. "They did. Val did."

"I'm sorry," she said quietly. She was standing beside him now, her fingers in his hair, and he tilted his head against the seat.

"Me too." He closed his eyes as she leaned across the back of his seat to wrap her arms around his neck, reaching up to grasp her fingers. "Thanks."

Her chin bumped the top of his head, and he smiled when she hugged him a little harder. "I love you, Andros."

"I love you too." He felt her kiss the top of his head, and tilted his head back to look at her. "I'm all right, Ash."

"I know," she murmured. Her hair fell across his face, tickling his cheeks, and she kissed his forehead lightly. "What are you going to do?"

He twisted around to look at her. "What do you mean?"

"Arietis bringing them here." Ashley bit her lip as she watched him. "Are you really okay with that?"

_No. _Andros hesitated, sighing. "I'm not sure."

"This is your home," she reminded him. "You don't have to share it with anyone you don't want to."

"I don't know that I have a choice," he said, thinking. If what Arietis said was true, if Val and Eiran knew where Zordon was, and he didn't listen... He'd made too many mistakes already. "I'll listen to what they have to say."

"I guess you're right." Ashley sighed. "I know you're right."

Maybe it wouldn't be so bad. He'd listen to what they had to tell him, and then they'd leave the Megaship. If he needed to speak with them afterwards, it would be on his terms.

But that didn't change the fact that they'd tried to kill him to save themselves.

Andros let out a deep breath. He understood why, but it didn't quite make him eager to meet with them. "They'll be here in the morning."

She sighed, too, leaning down to kiss his cheek. "Exciting day," she remarked as she straightened up again.

"I guess so," he murmured, reaching for her hands. Between this and her being kidnapped by the Psycho Rangers, Andros wouldn't have minded if the day had been a little duller.

He watched her twine her fingers through his, and gave her arms a gentle tug to pull her closer. "You really should rest, you know."

"I'm not tired," she murmured.

"I don't care." She was close enough to wrap his arms around, and he stood up to hold her tight. "I'm glad you're safe."

"Andros," she protested quietly, but she didn't let go of him. She giggled quietly a moment later, warning him, "You're going to make me cry again."

He let her go with a sigh, and she smiled. "Walk with me?"

Ashley gave his hand a tug when he nodded. Frowning to himself when she headed in the exact opposite direction of the bedrooms, he said nothing. She would be fine if she wasn't already, she didn't need him worrying over, but--he couldn't help wanting to never let her out of his sight.

He looked at her, surprised, when she stopped walking. "Why here?"

"I told you, I'm not tired." Ashley leaned close and kissed him, smiling against his mouth. "And I think it's romantic."

She pulled away before he could kiss her again, stepping backwards into the Observatory. His hand was still in hers, and she squeezed his fingers when he followed her.

Andros looked at her curiously when she asked Deca to give them some privacy. When she reached around him to lock the doors it clicked for him, and he caught her eye.

"Ash--"

"We don't have to do anything," she said quickly. "But I want to be alone with you, and I've wanted to be out here with you for the longest time."

Andros shook his head, just watching her for a minute. She stared back at him, beautiful and alive, and he smiled slowly. "You look pretty in the starlight."

"So do you." She giggled at him softly, smiling. "Andros..."

He kissed her before she could say anything else. He heard her make a quiet noise of surprise, but she didn't push him away, and then she was kissing him back in a way that made him feel his heartbeat in his ears.

"Ash--" He started to say something, but forgot it when her mouth covered his again.

"Just kiss me," she whispered.

He did.

* * *

Ashley just watched him for awhile. The starlight shone on his face as he lay there, eyes closed but not sleeping. He could have been; his breathing was steady now and he was settled comfortably beneath the blankets they'd found, but he smiled faintly when she touched his cheek.

"Hey," she murmured, laying her head on his arm, "open your eyes."

She smiled up at him when he did, kissing his shoulder. Content, she just lay there with him for awhile before she asked the question that was on her mind. "What do you want?"

He looked at her, and she elaborated. "In the future, I mean. What do you want your life to be like?"

"KO-35." His answer, though soft, was immediate. Nowhere else would ever be home to him. Ashley swallowed as the realization hit her, knowing that she could never ask him to stay with her.

"Karone," he continued quietly, unaware of her thoughts. "That was all I used to want--that I'd find Karone and that Zhane would wake up, and someday we'd all go home. And now..."

He stopped.

"Now what?" she finally asked after minutes ticked by in silence. "You can tell me."

It was another long moment before he answered. "Now I want you, too."

"You have me," she murmured. Ashley didn't know what else there was to say to that.

"Ash?" He started to sit up, and she looked away before he could see her face. "Is something wrong?"

"No," she whispered. "Nothing's wrong."

"Something's wrong." Frowning, he turned over onto his side to face her. "What is it?"

Ashley touched his hand without answering. She watched him watch her silently as she ran her fingers along his bare arms, sighing as she did so. "It's just that... well... KO-35 is your home, and it's not mine."

He didn't answer her for a minute. "Are you sure?"

"About what?"

"That KO-35 could never be your home," he said quietly.

Ashley's eyes widened in surprise. "But--"

"I'm not asking you to," he said quickly. Andros paused. "Unless you want me to."

She couldn't help her smile. Ashley rolled onto her side, catching her breath as she felt his skin move against hers. "Andros..."

"I want to be with you," he said quietly. "That's all I want."

"Me too," Ashley whispered.

She shifted closer to slide one arm over him, squeezing tight. Andros stroked her hair gently, his fingers warm when they touched her skin. Head tucked against his shoulder, Ashley closed her eyes.

"I want to get married one day," she told him. She frowned suddenly, realizing that she had no idea how Karovan marriage worked. "I want kids, Andros."

"I..." He hesitated. "I've never thought much about it."

"Oh." Ashley opened her eyes. "Well... do you want to think about it now?"

She bit her lip as she waited for him to answer, wondering what she'd do if he said no. She didn't want to lose him--but if they wanted different things, she didn't know how they wouldn't fall apart.

"Yeah," he said softly, "I will." His fingers brushed her cheek, and he smiled. "I--I think you'd like the Karovan ceremony. You can have sunflowers everywhere, if you'd like."

Her mind flashed back to the bouquet he'd given her on their second date. "You remembered," she murmured.

"Of course I did." Andros looked at her, amused. "You remind me of them."

Ashley felt herself blush when he wouldn't look away, but she couldn't make her smile disappear. She caught his hand, squeezing his fingers hard and hoping that, just maybe, they would make it, after all.

"So," she said, "tell me about a Karovan wedding."

"Well..."

Ashley didn't know how long it was that they stayed there in the Observatory. They talked until Deca interrupted to inform them that Arietis was half an hour away. By that time, her eyelids were drooping and her throat was hoarse, and it must have been morning.

With a sigh, Andros sat up. He was gorgeous, and she lay there lazily a moment longer, watching him dress. It was only when he stood to go that she sat up and dressed hastily.

"Do you mind if I meet them with you?"

"You can if you want to." Andros passed a hand over his eyes, yawning. "I'm going to go shower."

"Meet you on the Bridge?"

"Deca will teleport them from Arietis's ship," he said, nodding. "I'll see you there."

"Hey." She caught his hand before he could leave. When he turned toward her, she leaned in and pressed her mouth to his softly, murmuring, "I love you."

"I love you too, Ash," he said quietly, and squeezed her fingers hard.

She went to shower and change with a smile on her face. Andros was already on the Bridge when she arrived, and she paused just outside to watch him. He certainly didn't look pleased. He didn't look upset, either, but if anyone could hide their emotions it would be Andros.

These people had tried to kill him once.

Ashley bit her lip. "Hey," she said quietly. "Are they here yet?"

"Hi." His voice was tense and no louder than hers, but he smiled faintly at her. "Almost."

They waited in a silence broken only by Andros drumming his fingertips against the back of his seat. Ashley bit her lip to keep from saying anything, and after awhile, she hardly noticed the sound. She did notice when he stopped, and turned to see him staring at Deca's nearest eye.

"They're here?"

"Yes."

"Okay." Andros let out a deep breath. He straightened up, nodding his head. "Let them in."

Ashley caught herself just before she reached for his hand. Instead, she stood close to his side and waited. She'd never seen anyone teleport that wasn't a Ranger, and her eyes widened in surprise when she saw two flashes of red.

_Andros's color. _

It was a funny thing to be annoyed about when these people had almost killed him, but she folded her arms and watched the sparkles fade away while her dislike of them grew.

One of them was supposed to be Red, she remembered suddenly. Andros had told her that--that he'd gotten his morpher because the Red Ranger had been presumed dead. Well, Andros was Red now, and Ashley inched closer to him protectively. It accomplished nothing but making her feel better, and that was enough.

"Val." Andros spoke tersely, nodding once. "Eiran."

His smile was thin as he added, "It is good to see you again, Arietis."

"And you, Andros." The Phantom Ranger's smile was warmer. "Do you wish to speak privately?"

"This meeting was your idea," Andros said, in a tone that left no room for argument. "I'd rather that you stayed."

"As you wish." Arietis looked distinctly uncomfortable as he nodded to her, and Ashley frowned. Not that she could blame him...

"Andros." The younger of the two men spoke first, hesitating. "Thank you for meeting with us."

Ashley studied him in the tense silence that followed. He and his father both were tall and thin--too thin, really. Ashley felt a twinge of pity for them. Both of them were bitter and exhausted, and she couldn't even blame them for that after the little that Andros had told her.

"Arietis told me that you have information about Zordon."

"We do," the father answered. Val, she remembered his name was. "We've spent much of the last year on Onyx. We've heard many things."

Her stomach twisted in unease. There was something very... familiar about this man's voice. She looked at him more closely, seeing nothing extraordinary about him--only brown hair and dark eyes, but still... Something nagged at her, and she almost missed Andros speaking.

"What have you heard, Val?"

"If I could ask just one favor of you," Val said, "I lived on Earth for a very long time, and I have no intentions of leaving it again. So please, call me Daniel."

It clicked then, and Ashley felt chills run down her arms. She stared openmouthed at both of them, unable to make a sound. Andros's voice flowed over her head, but she had no idea what he was saying and didn't care.

Andros's hand on her arm startled her out of her shock. She shook her head when he started to speak, finding her voice again. "I'm fine," she managed. "But--it's just that--but--" Her eyes slid past him to Daniel. _"Dad?!"_


	37. Chapter 37

**Disclaimer: **I don't own the Power Rangers.

**Notes:** I'm sorry it took so long! This chapter was really hard to write--I don't do so well writing Ashley angst, I don't think. I want to say that the next update will be sooner, but I'll be on vacation from the day after tomorrow until August 8, so I'm not making any promises. We'll see, though. Enjoy! :)

**Chapter 37**

"You knew." His arms folded, Andros glared at Arietis.

"I... suspected it," the Phantom Ranger admitted. "I saw the resemblance when we met on Onyx."

"You brought them here to see how Ashley would react. They don't know anything about Zordon, do they?"

"They know where Dark Spectre is likely keeping him," Arietis said. "But yes, I did bring them here to see how they and Ashley would react to each other."

He had no idea how to respond. Andros stood there, eyes narrowed, staring at Arietis. Ashley had run off of the Bridge after a moment of stunned silence. Eiran and Val had quickly followed, leaving Andros alone on the Bridge with Arietis, whose suspicions were now confirmed.

"I don't understand," he said finally. "Ashley's been on the Megaship for almost a year. Deca would have noticed."

"There is no uniquely Karovan DNA," Deca offered. "And although Ashley's blood type is common on Earth, it is rarely seen anywhere else."

"But it's her family I've been looking for," Andros said. He turned slowly to look at her, his eyes still narrowed. "Even if there's no such thing as Karovan DNA, you had _hers._"

"The DNA records stored in my database tell me that Aileana of KO-35 and Ashley Hammond of Earth are not the same person," Deca informed him. If he didn't know better, Andros would have sworn that she sounded defensive. Before he could question her, she added, "However, I noted the DNA of the two men as I teleported them onto the Megaship, and I can tell you conclusively that they are Ashley's father and brother. I am currently investigating the DNA discrepancies."

"Tell me what you find out," Andros said, frowning at his morpher in distraction. "Where's Ashley now?"

"Ashley has left the Megaship."

"Where did she go?" he asked impatiently. "I need to talk to her."

"Ashley has left the Megaship," Deca repeated calmly. "I am now attempting a remote login to Eltare's Ranger database, but the computer has been neglected and we are not within optimal range."

Of course Ashley would want to be alone, he told himself. Seeing her father and her brother again after so many years would have been enough of a shock on its own, but with everything else... Andros wasn't sure what else was going on, but his own world had fallen apart enough times.

"Will you tell her that I want to talk to her, then?"

He expected her to refuse, and was surprised when she didn't. Satisfied for now, Andros turned back to Arietis. "You told me that the Aquitians matched them to Val and Eiran."

"Because they did." Arietis didn't so much as blink. "The Aquitians matched their DNA both to Val and Eiran of KO-35 and to the DNA of the men that stopped on Aquitar six years ago claiming to be Val and Eiran of KO-35. They are Val and Eiran of KO-35."

They'd disappeared after leaving Aquitar, he remembered. And then they'd turned up on a slave world. Andros tried not to sigh. "Deca, is Zhane awake?"

"He is," she confirmed. "It seems the gravity in his room momentarily malfunctioned."

Despite himself, Andros had to smile. "Thanks, Deca," he said quietly, and went looking for his best friend.

He found Zhane sitting crossly on his bunk, arms folded across his chest and a sleepy glare on his face. "What'd I do this time?" he demanded.

"There was a call from Arietis last night," Andros said quietly. "He'd found Val and Eiran alive."

The names took a few moments for Zhane to place, but then he leaned forward with suddenly wide eyes. "Alive!"

"Yes," Andros said. He tried not to sigh as he told the rest of the story as quickly as he could. "They've all left the Megaship," he finished. "Ashley's probably gone home."

"You could go after her, you know," Zhane said. "And Deca can track them."

"I think she wants to be alone."

"And Val and Eiran?"

"I have no idea what to say to them," he admitted. He doubted that they were especially eager to speak with him, either.

"Why did they come here?" Zhane's face darkened as he asked the question.

"Arietis said that they had information about Zordon," Andros told him. "I'm not sure if it's true or not."

"Tan," Zhane said suddenly.

Andros frowned at him. "Tan?"

"They're his cousins, aren't they?" Zhane was frowning still. "When he hears... he already doesn't like you."

"Maybe not, but there isn't much he can do about it." Andros shifted uneasily. Theoretically the Council of Eltare could strip him of his morpher, but it was a long and complicated process not made easier by the war or the fact that the three surviving Council members were Tan, Cia, and Arietis.

"I hope so," Zhane muttered. He laughed softly, and Andros raised an eyebrow. Zhane just shook his head. "I'd follow you, you know."

"I know," Andros said quietly.

He stared down at his morpher for several minutes before shaking his head. There were other things he should be worrying about now--like where Val and Eiran were now. If Astronema captured them as two potential informants... Just thinking about it gave him a headache.

"Deca, where are Val and Eiran? And Ashley?" He added her name almost hesitantly, unsurprised when Deca told him that Ashley had requested that her whereabouts not be revealed.

"Val and Eiran are at Ashley's home in Angel Grove," Deca said, adding, "Ashley is not with them."

"Will you tell her..." He hesitated, not sure what to say. "Forget it. Just keep an eye on the other two."

"Are you all right?" Zhane asked quietly.

Andros shrugged off the hand Zhane laid on his arm. "I'll be fine."

They sat there in silence for a very long time.

* * *

Her parents hadn't divorced after all. That was what bothered her the most, and she didn't even understand the full story yet. For five years she'd resented her father and her brother for leaving the rest of them, and Ashley didn't know what to do know with the revelation that they hadn't.

She swallowed hard as she stared at the picture in front of her. The edges of the frame dug into her palms as she clutched it tightly, but she didn't care. She just stared at their faces, tears rolling slowly down her face, and wondered what they were doing back at the house without her.

She'd run away from them--twice, in fact, and she would do it a third time if Deca told anyone at all where she was.

When there was a knock at the door, she glared at Deca's eye and reached for her communicator. The voice on the other side of the door made her hesitate.

"Ash?"

"What is it?" she asked, wary.

"Arietis thought you could use a friend," Cassie said, and the door slid open. "Deca agreed."

Ashley narrowed her eyes. She hadn't complained when Deca had done that to Andros, but she didn't appreciated it now that she was on the receiving end. She had to admit that it was an effective move, though--by the time she could think past her irritation Cassie was already sitting on the edge of her bed.

"Ash?"

"I..." She swallowed. "Oh god, Cass, I--I don't know what to think." She saw Cassie open her mouth, but shook her head. If she didn't speak now, she'd change her mind.

Cassie listened as she spoke, her expression growing more and more disbelieving. Ashley paused for breath at the part where she'd run away to go home, and Cassie shook her head. "Wow," she murmured. "I can't believe that you're... wow."

"Neither can I." Ashley stared down at the picture, swallowing. "They were at the house. I went there looking for Mom, and... it was all a lie. Everything she told us about them, about... everything. It wasn't true."

Cassie slid closer. She laid her hand gently over Ashley's, squeezing. Ashley squeezed back, slowly shaking her head. "They were trying to protect us," she muttered. "Mom and Dad. That's what they said."

She'd left before they could try to explain how they thought it was protecting her to fake a divorce and have her brother and father literally disappear off the planet. She wasn't ready to hear that now. She wasn't sure if she ever would be, really, but she didn't think she'd be able to avoid them forever.

"I don't understand," she said. She wiped her eyes with the back of her free hand. "I just... They lied to us, Cass. To me and Jeff. My mom should have told us. Even if she didn't want to, when we went into space and met Andros..."

Ashley paused. "Andros," she muttered. "That's why she didn't like him. She must have... recognized him or something. Or when I told her he was Red..."

"I don't even know what to say," Cassie said finally, when Ashley stopped again. "But Ash... your mom might be the only one with the answers to all your questions."

"Why?" Frowning, Ashley pulled her hand away from Cassie's. "She lied to me."

She sighed. "I don't want to talk to her," she whispered. She felt tears well up in her eyes as she spoke, and swallowed. "I just... I want them all to go away, and I want to go back to how it was yesterday when my life made sense."

Cassie leaned closer to hug her again. Ashley closed her eyes and leaned against her best friend. "I don't want to talk to her."

"I didn't mean now," Cassie murmured. She squeezed harder. "Just thinking for awhile won't hurt you."

"I just don't understand," Ashley said again. "We could have handled it. She knew I was a Power Ranger. Why didn't she..."

Cassie didn't have an answer for her, and Ashley stared down at her lap. She could almost understand how it had happened. Once she'd told them the story the first time around, her mother had just let it go until... this had happened. But that didn't make it any easier to understand.

"I've been angry at them all this time," she said. "For leaving us, and they've been stuck in this horrible place while I was so mad at them."

"Ash, you had no idea," Cassie said. "You had every reason to think that they'd just disappeared--I mean, it was what your mother told you."

"It was what both my parents told me." Ashley rubbed at her eyes again. "My father said that we--that we could come visit as soon as he and Jonathan were settled, and that was the last we heard from them."

"I'm sorry, Ash," Cassie said softly.

"Me too," Ashley muttered. No matter how she tried, she couldn't quite seem to look away from that picture. They all looked so happy there, so... normal. Like they belonged there, as it registered for the first time that they really didn't.

She'd never thought to wonder if Earth was really her home. The idea that it wasn't was still too surreal for her to make sense of, but it was a distraction from thinking about her family and she welcomed any distraction.

Andros must have mentioned her birth name when he'd told her about Val and Eiran. She couldn't remember it now, though, and she wasn't in any hurry to ask him, either. She didn't want to be anyone but Ashley.

She didn't know how to be anyone but Ashley. Whoever she'd been born, she didn't remember being that person

Ashley bit her lip. Cassie looked at her, and she sighed. Torn between not wanting to explain and wanting release, she stared at her hands, hesitating.

The choice was taken from her a moment later when the alarms shrilled. Ashley jumped, badly shaken by the noise as the silence broke.

Cassie was halfway to the door when Ashley finally stood, and she followed her friend less than eagerly. Astronema wouldn't care about her feelings--or if she did, she would only take advantage of her current emotional turmoil. She only hoped that it wasn't the Psycho Rangers; she didn't know how she'd manage to find the energy to fight them, though she knew somehow that she was about ti find out.


	38. Chapter 38

**Disclaimer: **I don't own the Power Rangers.

**Notes:** I LIVE! Um, semester from *hell*, general lack of inspiration, random personal issues. I whine plenty on my LiveJournal if you're interested in hearing all about it; check the homepage link in my profile. Anyway, I'm back for now, and I really hope I'll update sooner. We're getting closer to the end, and this story has gone on for almost two and a half years. Thank you all for waiting so long for this chapter, and for sticking around to see how this story ends. Also, I've pretty much ignored any email alerts regarding new stories/updates/etc. since August, so if you or someone else wrote something you think I should read, don't feel bad pointing me towards it. Self pimp away! :)

**Chapter 38**

And she had been so _close_, too. Astronema fumed silently as she stared awhile longer at the viewing screen. The Rangers were only now beginning to pick themselves up. Another five minutes, and they wouldn't be.

She had to remind herself that it wasn't only the Rangers she was after this time.

"Astronema," Ecliptor said quietly, "Dark Spectre wishes to speak with you."

Her frown deepened. "Has he noticed?"

"Do not keep him waiting, Princess," was all that he would say.

Astronema sighed. "Keep the Psychos busy," she ordered him. "I'll deal with them later."

She knew they were growing impatient. She was still confident in her ability to control them, though, and should they test her, well... She smiled. Psycho Red was their leader; without him, they would be firmly under her command.

She would almost be sorry to destroy him. He hated the Red Ranger with such a passion. He would gladly put Andros through every torture imaginable should he have the chance. After what he'd done, lying, tricking her, Astronema wished that she could allow it.

And maybe she would, someday, once Dark Spectre was drained of his powers. Once she stood tall and proud, empress of this universe. Once the Rangers knelt before her, beaten and broken and begging for mercy...

Astronema sighed wistfully.

"Dark Spectre," she said, watching the view screen through lowered eyes. "The Rangers grow weak."

"As do I," he snarled. "The traitor drains me of my powers!"

"But how?" Slowly, she raised her head. He looked just the same, as hideous as he always did. "And who?"

"I have my suspicions," he said. "I've been watching him closely."

A he, then. She hoped her face betrayed no relief. "Darkonda?" she ventured. Oh, but that would be perfect.

"It is not your concern!" he growled. "You're to worry about the Rangers."

"Yes, Dark Spectre," she murmured. "The Psycho Rangers toy with them. Soon I'll order them in for the kill."

Her nerves were more rattled than she cared to admit by the time Dark Spectre ended the call. She could only hope that she had masked it well and that he hadn't noticed.

"Ecliptor," she called. She knew he was listening. "We need a battle plan."

"It would be unwise to send the Psychos out again so soon," he said.

"Yes," she muttered. As much as she hoped it was Darkonda that Dark Spectre suspected, she wouldn't take it for granted. He could be watching her. Likely, he was. "We need something... something that makes it clear to Dark Spectre that I am all he needs."

"This could be risky, princess," he cautioned her.

She brushed it off. "It already is."

Ecliptor was silent for a moment. "You have a plan?"

She hoped so. "Get Darkonda back here." As much as it pained her to have him around, he would be well worth it in the end. "I have a job for him."

* * *

"In the official records, they're listed as deceased."

Arietis nodded in agreement, wary of what direction Tan would take this conversation in. "They are."

His teammate sighed. "I spoke to them only briefly on the comm. How are they?"

"Probably as well as can be expected," Arietis told him. "But I'll have Deca send you as much of their medical information as she can."

"They've reunited with their family?"

"I believe the reunion is in progress," Arietis said slowly. He didn't elaborate.

Tan nodded slowly. "I'll want to speak with them, when they're able."

He'd half expected Tan to cite urgency and demand to speak with them now. Arietis found himself relaxing some. "Of course. I'll have them contact you in the next few days."

"Sooner would be better," Tan said. "I'd prefer to speak with them tonight, if possible."

"I'll ask them." If he saw them, but he didn't add that part.

"Thank you." Tan smiled thinly. "It never occurred to me that they could have survived," he admitted. "Someone should have contacted Viton."

"If I remember correctly, neither Eltare nor KO-35 was in a position to do so," Arietis said. "Eiran and Val were called back because Dark Spectre had attacked Eltare."

"Of which I am too well aware," Tan said. He sighed. "I'm not faulting anyone in particular. Mistakes were made all around; I acknowledge that."

Arietis let out a deep breath. That was more than he'd expected. He took a risk. "What are you thinking?"

"The Council will want to be informed of this," Tan said. "Or what remains of them."

The Council of Eltare was a remnant now of what it had once been. Headed by the Eltaran team and comprised of Ranger teams from across the universe, very few still remained. Even fewer remained intact.

"Would you like me to contact them?"

"I can do it," Tan said. "You have enough to do. Cia and I can manage this one task."

"What do you expect the Council will wish to do?"

"I couldn't say." That was probably what displeased him the most. "I suppose we'll do nothing, but they'll want to be informed."

Arietis let out a deep breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding, and tried not to let it show. Tan still had some sense, at least. "Yes, they will." He hesitated. "Should we wait for that, to let Val and Eiran come forward in their own time? They've lived through a nightmare."

"I'm not contesting that," Tan said. "But if Darkonda knows who they are and where to find them, we all must be prepared. We've received word that Astronema's called him--and several others, at that--to the Dark Fortress."

"Because of this?" Arietis asked sharply.

"Our source was unclear," Tan admitted. "I don't suppose any good will come of this meeting, regardless of the cause for it."

That, at least, he could agree with wholeheartedly. "We'll find out soon enough," he said darkly. "Though if she sends out her Psycho Rangers again--"

"Psycho Rangers?" Tan frowned at him.

"Ah... the Rangers are holding their own," Arietis assured him. They were still fighting, he reasoned. That counted for something.

"I'm glad to hear it," Tan said. He didn't look mollified, but it was enough for now. "I'm sure you have other duties to attend to."

"I'll be in touch with you soon," Arietis said. He hesitated, and then asked quickly before he could change his mind. "Do you have any intentions of challenging Andros's right to hold the Astromorpher?"

He was almost certain Tan's surprise was genuine. "The thought hadn't crossed my mind."

* * *

Andros grit his teeth as Zhane cleaned the cut on his arm. He could have done it himself. He would have preferred to do it himself, but Zhane had pushed him down onto the bed and pulled the cloth from his hand.

Zhane gripped his elbow when Andros tried to pull his arm away. "You're lucky, you know."

He did know. Psycho Red hadn't meant to just wound him with that blow. If Ashley hadn't tackled him... He wouldn't be walking away with just a scratch.

His eyes strayed to Ashley. She watched him from her perch on the second bed, smiling faintly when he met her eyes. She didn't speak, though, and he didn't know what to say.

"There," Zhane said. He set the cloth down, and Andros finally lowered his arm. "Just need to bandage it."

"I'll do it," Ashley said softly. Andros swallowed when he found her stare unwavering. "I want to talk to you."

_"Should I--"_

"Yeah," he muttered out loud. "We'll be fine."

He saw Ashley look at him oddly.

"If you're sure," Zhane said finally. He touched Andros's shoulder on his way out, and Andros tried not to sigh at the silent encouragement.

"Did Zhane... say something to you?" Ashley said slowly. She was still watching him. "It looked like you were answering him."

"He did." Andros frowned suddenly. Hadn't he ever told her?

"You can talk to him and no one else can hear?" Ashley slid off the bed and crossed the short distance between them in two steps, reaching for the cloth that Zhane had left behind. She pressed it to his arm again, and he winced at the sting. "Is that a Karovan thing?"

"It's more of an Eltaran thing," he said. "Most Karovans can do it, too, but selectively. I can only hear Zhane. And Karone, too, before--" He stopped, blinking when his eyes suddenly stung. He'd never thought to see if he could still hear her once he'd finally found her.

"Just the people you love the most?" Ashley pressed a clean cloth to his arm now, drying his skin before she applied the bandage. "Is that how it works?"

"For me, yes," he said, still thinking of Karone. Would she still be there if he reached out now?

"And me?"

He blinked at her, not sure that he'd heard right. "What?"

"I mean, I guess I'm Karovan too--aren't I?"

"Ashley, I--" He stopped when he saw the tears in her eyes. "Ash..."

Without thinking, he reached for her. Ashley buried her face into his shoulder, clinging to him as she cried. He felt her nails digging into his arms and her tears on his bare skin, but he held her without saying a word. He didn't know what to tell her, not when nothing he said could change anything for her.

"They lied to me," she whispered finally. "Everyone lied to me, and they thought it was to protect me."

"I'm sorry, Ash," he said quietly. She sniffed and he hugged her harder. Her hair was soft and smooth beneath his fingers, and he stroked it gently. "I..." He didn't know how to finish.

She let out a slow, shaky breath, her arms still tight around his neck. "Andros?"

"Yes?"

"Did you know?"

Startled, he let her go."What?"

"Was there ever... anything... did you ever think that I could be Karovan?" She met his eyes searchingly, her face wet with tears. "Anything that ever made you wonder?"

"Never," he said. "I never would have questioned your being from Earth."

She scrubbed her face with her sleeve, and he thought that he'd probably given her the wrong answer. "I wouldn't have, either," she muttered finally. "I've never--never felt that I didn't belong."

Ashley pushed his arm away this time when he reached out for her, shaking her head. "I--I just... and they tried to kill you!"

"I know." He sighed. He wouldn't have told her that if he'd ever thought... or he would have explained it better, at the very least. He understood why. He didn't especially _like_ it, and he wasn't exactly eager to socialize with them now, but he understood. She didn't. "It wasn't personal, if it helps."

"Why would it help?" she demanded. "My father shouldn't have been willing to kill a child."

"To protect _his_ child, and the future of KO-35." Andros shifted awkwardly, uncomfortable explaining Val's reasoning.

"I..." Ashley bit her lip. Her eyes widened suddenly. "Jonathan was supposed to be the Red Ranger."

"Yes," Andros agreed. He looked at his morpher, frowning, and felt his stomach twist almost painfully at the reminder that it wasn't supposed to be his. "He's never worn the morpher."

"So... what happens now?" Ashley asked him. "It _is_ yours, isn't it?"

"Yes."

He thought so.

He hoped so.

"I should talk to him," Ashley said, cutting into his thoughts. "To both of them. I just..." She laughed suddenly, bitterly. "I have no idea what to say."

"You don't," he said. "Unless you want to. Deca will find them for you if you do."

"No." She shook her head, stopping him. "I mean... I don't know. I should, but... I think I need to go... think about this."

Andros just nodded, and watched her walk away.


	39. Chapter 39

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Power Rangers.**

**Author's Note: **Um, hi. *sheepish grin* So, semester from *hell* redux got me an associate's degree that has _nothing to do _with my major (and it only took me three and a half years! GO ME!), and then sometime during the past few months writing stopped being fun for me. It seems to be coming back, though, since I haven't done much with ten days since graduation _but_ write, so yay! (For me, anyway. Andros is Not Happy. *smirks*)

**Chapter 39**

He didn't trust her.

She hadn't expected him to. Astronema smiled coldly at Darkonda. She didn't trust him, either, but he was still useful to her. "Dark Spectre's enemies drain him of his power," she said. "They grow more powerful as we speak."

"Yes," he agreed slowly. His eyes never left her. "I've heard that myself."

"My Psycho Rangers can defeat the Rangers," she continued. "They have many times before."

"The Rangers have not been beaten." His tone was accusatory now. "If you've been deliberately--"

"I've been waiting for the opportune moment to strike," she snapped. "Not just Earth, but the entire universe!"

He paused, arms crossed. "Continue."

She waited, just to irritate him. "We're running out of time," she said finally. "If we continue to wait, Dark Spectre will be completely drained and he will be destroyed. We must strike now, while there is still time for him."

Darkonda was silent.

Astronema smiled to herself. He would agree. He would have to.

"What do you want from me?" He didn't sound pleased.

Good.

"I want you to take the Psycho Rangers and go down to Earth," she said. "I want you to lead the invasion."

He wouldn't have expected that.

"The quantrons are waiting for the orders," she continued quietly. "One thousand, at least, for Earth alone. Two thousand for Aquitar. Tens of thousands more for the rest of the universe."

Astronema watched Darkonda carefully. He hadn't reacted one way or the other yet, and she knew what he was thinking. He wanted Dark Spectre destroyed as much as she did, and that was why she had to do this.

She couldn't stand him, anyway.

"Of course," he said finally, straightening. "It would be my honor."

"Good." She smiled widely at him. "We attack at dawn."

"I'll be ready."

Astronema waited to laugh until he was off of the Bridge. "Ecliptor," she said quietly, her eyes flickering to the corner of the room, "I want you to watch him. Constantly, do you understand me?"

"Of course, my princess," Ecliptor agreed. "I still think this was unwise."

"I know what I'm doing." She turned to consider the glass tube behind her, from where Zordon of Eltare watched her silently from within. "Your Rangers won't live to see another night."

He didn't answer.

"Now," Astronema continued, turning her attention back to her plan. "Bring me Psycho Red."

* * *

"You're leaving again, aren't you." It wasn't a question this time, and Cassie tried not to care too much when she heard how bitter she sounded.

"I'm sorry," Arietis said quietly. He set his mug down on the table, eyes on his empty plate. "I had wanted to stay with you for longer."

"I know you are," she muttered. And she did. "I know you wanted to."

"Cassie..."

She shifted her legs around, first resting one foot against the bar on the stool and then settling her feet flat on the ground. "I don't want you to--" Cassie bit her lip, shaking her head. "Of course I want you to stay," she said. "But I don't want you to not be somewhere you're needed because you stayed."

"I need you."

Of anything he could have said, she hadn't expected to hear those words come out of his mouth. Cassie raised her head and stared at him, half wishing he hadn't said it. "Arietis, I..." She didn't know how to finish.

"I will come back to you," he continued softly. "If that's what you want, I will."

"I told you," she started, but then she shook her head. "It's what I want, Arietis. But—I wish you would fight with us."

That had probably sounded better inside of her head, but he nodded slowly and she knew that he'd understood what she meant. "It would be an honor to fight on your team," he told her, and she knew that he was sincere.

She smiled sadly. "But the team that you have needs you."

He nodded slowly. "Tan and Cia are all that's left of my team. We may not always like one another, but they are still my teammates, and I will not leave them to fight alone."

"Then you have to go," she told him. Cassie leaned across the table to clasp his hand. "Just—be careful."

He laid one hand on hers, squeezing her fingers. "I will be."

* * *

He wasn't answering. Ashley hesitated, hand still raised and ready to knock again. He was in there; Deca had told her so.

He'd been uncomfortable around her earlier, she knew.

He was probably avoiding her, but he was the only person she _wasn't_ avoiding, and--

The door opened. Andros's eyes widened when he saw her standing there, but he neither spoke nor moved.

Ashley bit her lip. "Can I come in?"

That seemed to snap him out of whatever daze he was in. Andros nodded and took a step back, giving her room to enter. Deca raised the lights without being told, brightening the room enough that Ashley could see Andros's face clearly.

He stared at her uncertainly. "Ash..."

"I--" Her throat tightened before she could say anything more. Ashley swallowed hard, closing her eyes. She was tired of crying.

"Ash," Andros said again, and pulled her into his arms. He hugged her fiercely and she clung to him, hiding her face in his neck.

"I want to sleep with you tonight," she whispered. Everything was better when she was with him, somehow; he was warmth and safety and he wouldn't ever let anyone hurt her.

"Me too." He touched her hair, and she almost smiled. "Sit down. I'll find you a blanket."

She did smile then, as she sat down on his bunk with her legs drawn up beside her and her eyes following him across the room, because he could share himself with her but he couldn't share his blankets. Not that she would have preferred to fight him for the blankets in the middle of the night.

Andros turned around, blanket in hand. When he joined her on his bed, she hugged the blanket to her chest and leaned against him, her eyes closed. His arm slid around her shoulders, hugging her again, and she was tempted to just curl up in his arms and not think about anything that hurt too much.

She did curl up in his arms, but she didn't stop thinking.

Ashley sighed. "Andros?"

"Yeah?"

"Who am I?"

"You're who you've always been," Andros said quietly. His kiss was nothing less than expected, but it still warmed her to feel his lips on her temple.

"That's not what I meant," she said, but he knew that. His fingers brushed her cheek, and she reached up to grab his hand. Ashley squeezed his fingers hard, her eyes widening as something else occurred to her. "Did we know each other?"

She tilted her head back to look at him. He looked as surprised as she had been to think of it, and slowly shook his head. "We'd probably seen each other before," he said finally. "Or our families knew of each other, at least; it was a small colony. But I don't remember you, if that's what you meant."

"Oh." She tried not to feel disappointed. He didn't remember his parents, either. "That at least would have been pretty cool." And it wouldn't have left her searching for who she was. Ashley bit her lip. "I was supposed to be the Yellow Ranger."

She didn't know how to feel about that.

Andros squeezed her fingers. "You're more than that," he told her. "You know I wouldn't have anyone in your place, but you're not just the morpher. You know how to be more than that."

"But—it didn't even work," she said, those stupid tears pressing against her eyelids again. "They took us halfway across the universe to keep us safe, and it didn't even work because Jonathan and Dad ended up on a slave world, and I ended up the Yellow Ranger anyway!"

Ashley closed her eyes. She felt Andros's fingers on her face, wiping away her tears. She turned her face towards his touch, desperately wanting the comfort of his touch. It was the only thing that made this a little easier.

"I know I need to talk to my family." She tucked her face into his neck, her words half muffled by his skin. "But I went looking for them earlier, and I—I just can't."

"You don't have to do it tonight," he said, his fingers gentle in her hair.

"I just want everything to go back to how it was," she whispered. Ashley winced a moment later. "That sounds terrible."

"No, it doesn't," Andros said gently.

"I was so happy," she said. "With my mom and Jeff, and even if I missed Dad and Jonathan, I was happy. And then I met you, and I love you so much, and now it turns out that everything I thought was true was a lie, and I'm not even who I thought I was, and--" She paused for breath, swallowing hard as she admitted, "I'm scared."

Andros was quiet, but he didn't let go of her. "I love you too," he said finally, tightening his arms around her. He didn't say anything else for awhile, but she didn't mind as long as he would keep holding onto her like that.

"Aileana," she murmured after awhile. The name still felt foreign in her mouth, and her tongue stumbled over the first syllable. "I can't even say it right."

"You said it fine before," Andros said, but he pronounced it for her anyway. "Ay-lee-anna."

She wrinkled her nose. "I don't like how it sounds."

"Me either," he said, and she smiled faintly.

"Thanks." Ashley lifted her head off of his shoulder to look at him. She was almost afraid to ask, but curiosity won out. "I... you were looking for me," she started slowly. "What did you know?"

"Not much," he admitted. "I... I could show you, if you wanted."

He sounded hesitant, but she nodded her head firmly. "I want you to."

Andros kept one arm firmly around her shoulders, with the other one reaching out towards his dresser. His arm wasn't long enough to reach the handle but the drawer opened anyway. Ashley smiled faintly. The telekinesis _was_ pretty cool.

Andros caught the device in one hand, and Ashley frowned at it. What it was, she had no idea, but then Andros flipped a switch on one side and a screen lit up.

"I kept everything on here," he said quietly. "Everything I knew about Karone, everything I knew about... you."

Maybe this wasn't a good idea... But Ashley leaned closer, squinting at the screen. "Born... tenth Cairyn?"

"The fifth month of the year," he explained. "The beginning of summer."

He must have seen the look on her face; he added quickly, "It's not important."

"You don't celebrate birthdays on KO-35," she remembered suddenly. "Isn't that right?"

"That's right." Andros nodded, then tapped the screen. "You left KO-35 a few weeks after your fifth birthday."

"Jeff would have been eight..." Ashley frowned. "Jonathan would have been ten. They would have been old enough to remember."

Andros was quiet. Ashley tilted her head back to look at him. "What is it?"

"I don't know," he said finally. "Your parents might have told them." There was a look on his face she couldn't quite read as he stared up at something off to the side. "Or—there are ways to make someone forget."

"What?" Ashley sat up straighter, staring at him. "You think I was... you think my parents wiped my mind?"

"No!" The sharpness of his voice startled her. He winced a moment later, and his voice was gentler as he continued. "I don't know what did or didn't happen to you, Ash."

"I know..." She laid her head against his shoulder again, trying not to sigh. "I need to talk to my parents."

"Yeah." Andros rubbed her shoulder, and she snuggled closer to him for the comfort. "I'd be there with you, if it would help."

The offer surprised her, and she almost lifted her head again. Instead she closed her eyes and squeezed him hard, whispering, "Thank you."

He hugged her a little closer, his breath warm on her skin as he answered. "Anytime."


	40. Chapter 40

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the Power Rangers.

... surprise? *grins wryly* But I'm getting there!

I know it's a short one, but I didn't want to go straight into CtD from here.

And because I have no sense at all, would anyone be interested in a giant fandom project to fix all the plotholes and/or rewrite seventeen years worth of canon? (This was totally Tsukino Akume's idea, if you were curious.)

** Chapter 40**

Andros was still asleep when she slid out of his bed. Ashley eased herself off of the mattress slowly, draping the blankets back over him. She paused, halfway to the door, and looked back at him. The lights were so low she could hardly see him at all, but rarely did he look half as peaceful as he did now.

She shouldn't wake him. Deca would tell him where she'd gone, if he couldn't guess himself.

Her bare feet padded quietly against the deck as she stepped out into the corridor. She shivered, realizing that she'd left her shoes by Andros's bed, but she wasn't going to go back for them now. He'd wake up, and she wasn't sure she wanted to speak to him right now.

She wasn't sure she wanted to speak to anyone else right now, either, but she couldn't wait any longer. She had to know.

She showered first, buying herself a few more moments to think about what she would say.

It didn't help much. She still didn't know what to say or do, and by the time her hair was dry and she'd dressed, she'd run out of reasons to stall.

Ashley swallowed as she slipped her morpher back onto her wrist. Andros had offered to go with her, but she knew that he didn't really want to, and she had a feeling his presence would only make things worse, anyway. Besides, this was her family.

The morning was still cool as Angel Grove materialized around her. For an instant she contemplated going back for a sweater, but she just bit her lip and started up the driveway.

At the front door she hesitated again, her hand on the knob.

The door opened from the other side and she tensed, taking a step back before she realized what she was doing. She bit her lip and stayed where she was, her heart somewhere in her throat as she met her father's eyes.

Ashley swallowed. "Dad," she whispered. "I--"

She choked, the lump in her throat too large now.

"Ashley." He stopped with his hand extended toward her, watching her as uncertainly as she felt. "Come in."

She made it three steps into the hall before her tears started to fall, and this time when he reached out for her, Ashley threw her arms around her father and cried.

* * *

"Leave me alone." Andros squinted against the sudden brightness when Deca turned up the lights with no warning before turning onto his stomach and burying his face into his pillow.

"It's time to wake up, Andros," she repeated for what had to be the twentieth time, calm as ever.

"I'm awake." He drew the blanket up over his head and stretched out until he was comfortable. Ashley, he thought, flexing his shoulders with a groan. The Megaship beds weren't really meant to hold more than one person at a time.

"It's time to wake up, Andros."

This time, he pushed the blanket back and raised his head to glare at her. "I'm awake," he insisted. "How long ago did Ashley leave?"

"Approximately half an hour ago," she replied.

Andros rolled onto his back with a sigh. He opened his mouth to ask how she'd been, and then changed his mind. He'd ignored Deca for at least ten minutes--all he'd get now was a detailed report about whether or not Ashley's digestive system was functioning.

"Thanks," he said instead, closing his eyes again.

"Sit up, Andros."

"I'm not sleeping." He'd had a hard enough time last night, when he'd been exhausted and Ashley had been curled up at his side. He didn't think he could manage it now, with the lights turned up to full strength and Deca talking at him.

Especially not after the dreams he'd had. He frowned, opening his eyes again.

"Are you not feeling well, Andros?" Her voice had softened some; she sounded concerned more than anything else now. "I can--"

"I'm fine, Deca," he said, rubbing his eyes with one hand. "I didn't sleep well. That's all."

"Nightmares?" she questioned, and he shook his head.

"Just strange." Andros yawned, stretching his arms over his head. "I can't even remem--wait," he said suddenly, pushing himself up in bed. "Deca."

"Yes, Andros?"

He contemplated her nearest eye silently. She had kept him sane, kept him alive more than he wanted to admit, and he wondered what he'd do now if... He swallowed. "I have a question for you."

"Yes, Andros?"

Andros closed his eyes briefly. "Did you wipe my memory?"

She was silent for several minutes. He didn't look away. "I'm curious," she said finally, quietly. "Why do you ask?"

He swallowed back a frustrated growl. "Because there are things I don't remember."

"And you believe that I am capable of doing so?"

"Yeah," he said. "If you'd wanted it done, you'd have found a way. You always did."

"I suppose I could interpret that to be complimentary," she remarked, sounding almost thoughtful. "However, I never requested, supported, or facilitated any modification of your memory."

Andros let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. "Did anyone?"

"That I cannot tell you." Deca blinked at him once. "If it was done, I have no knowledge of the procedure."

Not entirely reassured, he glanced away. "What do you think?"

"What do you think, Andros?" Her voice was gentle now, and he frowned at her in irritation.

"I hadn't thought about it until last night," he told her. "When Ashley asked." He had a vague impression of a crowded, silent room, and closed his eyes. "They wanted to know if I was telling the truth about Eiran. I remember they gave me something to make me sleep."  
"It's possible," she said, but he could hear the doubt.

"You don't think it happened," he said.

"No."

He wasn't sure whether to be annoyed or relieved. "Thanks, Deca," he muttered, leaning his head back against the wall, eyes closed.

"You're welcome, Andros."

She sounded sincere, but he cracked one eye open suspiciously. "You're not angry, are you?"

She blinked at him. "No."

He wasn't sure that he'd be eating what he wanted for breakfast, but Andros nodded and smiled a little. He hoped she was right.

"Andros," she said, and something in her voice made him tense instantly. "You're needed on the bridge."

* * *

Beautiful.

She straightened her shoulders as she watched the first wing of velocifighters swing past on the view screen. There were a thousand more.

The Rangers wouldn't know what had hit them.

"Astronema."

She passed a hand over her forehead. "What do you want?"

"Karone," Zordon said evenly.

"You can't stop me." She narrowed her eyes as she turned to regard him coldly. "You're almost out of energy."

And he wasn't the only one. She stopped herself before she could call to the Psychos. She'd given them their mission, and they would follow it.

All she had to do now was wait.

"You can stop this, Karone."

She sighed. "I should put you out of your misery," she muttered, but not even Zordon of Eltare would spoil her victory.


	41. Chapter 41

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the Power Rangers.

O HAI. *dusts off story* I can't believe I haven't updated this in six_ months._ I think I've learned to stop promising fast updates, but that was a really long wait. Thank you everyone who's still here and reading! I love all of you, and for five years now you have made my life better. (Uh, five years referring to my time in fandom, not my time on this current story. My New Year's Resolution was to finish it before the year is up so I _don't_ actually spend five years on this story. *grins*)

**Chapter 41**

He hadn't seen this many velocifighters since KO-35, and that wasn't a memory that he wanted now. For just an instant he was burning again, and he shuddered as painful prickles seared his skin. Zhane clutched the controls as he struggled to shrug off the thoughts threatening to fatally distract him.

But it was there at the back of his mind as he and Deca battled the velocifighters. He'd thought he was going to die--he thought he had died, when all he'd had were hazy dreams that took him from moment to moment.

The Megaship shuddered so fiercely the controls nearly slipped from his grasp, and Zhane cursed under his breath. He would be dead, and permanently this time, if he didn't focus.

There had been no hope for KO-35. He knew that now. So much had gone wrong... so many mistakes had been made... He knew that Andros was just as haunted

It had been a miracle that they'd managed to save what they had, and it was a miracle that his people were still alive and still fighting, and they still had hope that one day they would return home.

This was a different battle, worlds away from the one he didn't want on his mind. Things were different now--everything was different. This team was unified, and Andros was the leader Zhane had never doubted he could be.

If they had survived KO-35, they could survive this. They would survive this.

Zhane braced himself as the Megaship swerved around an exploding velocifighter. This wasn't working. There were too many of them--Astronema must have sent out every fighter she had, and though he had taken out several dozen, there were at least a thousand more and they were wearing down the Megaship.

"Shields, Deca." He spared a second to glance at her nearest eye.

"Seventy-five percent," she replied calmly.

"Are they holding?"

"Negative."

It was the answer he'd expected, but that didn't make it easier to hear. He was gripping the sides of the console just to stay on his feet now.

"This isn't working." He eyed Deca again. "Do you have any ideas?"

The next blast made the lights flicker. The Megaship tilted so sharply he couldn't keep his balance this time, and he landed hard. Groaning, Zhane rolled over onto his stomach and tried to catch his breath. He needed a better plan.

"Incoming transmission," Deca said suddenly, and Zhane looked at her strangely.

"If that's Astronema calling to gloat, you can tell her to--"

"From the Phantom Ranger," Deca continued.

"Oh," he said, as he locked the Megalasers onto another velocifighter. "Then tell him we'll each take five hundred."

* * *

Just for an instant, he was weightless, the adrenaline and the pounding rush of blood in his ears all that he knew.

Just for an instant.

He felt every bruise the instant his body slammed into the wall, though muted by the effects of the Power. Wincing, Andros staggered back to his feet. All the aches were becoming more noticeable now, and he tried not to think about how long he'd been morphed--or how much longer it would hold.

"Andros!"

Ashley's voice, and even in the midst of battle it lightened his heart to hear it. He couldn't see her, but she must have been nearby if she'd seen him go down...

There. He saw a flash of yellow out of the corner of his eye and turned toward her automatically, only to find himself fighting off yet another quantron.

There were too many of them. He couldn't fight his way towards her and he couldn't afford to be distracted right now, but he took notice every time he spotted on of his teammates--Ashley was the closed to him, but he thought that was Cassie and Carlos fighting back to back several meters away. He'd seen TJ just a moment before, and Zhane out to still be on the Megaship.

Zhane...

His stomach turned as he blasted another quantron away from him. He couldn't do that and he shouldn't be thinking of that now--this was a different battle and a different time and a different team, but the thought of staring at his best friend like that again, cold and lifeless and trapped in that box, had pushed its way past everything else and--

Ashley screamed his name again, this time in warning, and he was too slow to turn. He saw the streak of the laser but by then he was already on the ground, crying out in pain as his shoulder throbbed. He hadn't even seen that one coming and now he was scrambling to get back on his feet before Ecliptor reached him.

He managed, barely, and he swung his saber up just in time to block Ecliptor's descending blade. The impact jarred his shoulder and he grit his teeth together to bite back another groan. The Power hadn't muted that as much as he'd hoped it would.

He pressed forward and Ecliptor pushed back, and the quantrons backed away to give them room to fight. He still wondered about that, sometimes--if they'd worked together he would have been overpowered, but there was nowhere for him to hide from the quantrons if he managed to beat Ecliptor, anyway.

The next blow caught him across the chest, and Andros staggered back. The saber slipped from his hand and sparkled as it fell. Andros closed his eyes even as he straightened up, knowing what was coming.

He felt his suit vanish and all the little aches blossomed into real pain. He grit his teeth and steadied himself because there was nothing to do but to keep fighting, but he was weakened from the last several hours of battle, and wasn't quick enough.

Ecliptor caught him in the stomach this time, and as he doubled over, wheezing, Andros heard Ashley again. She was closer this time, fighting her way towards him.

"Red Ranger!"

Andros froze.

Ecliptor growled something under his breath as he whirled furiously to face Darkonda. "He is mine."

He should have run. Ecliptor had turned away and Darkonda was still arguing with him, but Andros fell into a defensive stance and raised his head defiantly--only to be surprised when Darkonda, instead of attacking as Andros had expected, lunged forward and seized his arm. Andros had only a split second to realize what was happening before everything dissolved into the rush of teleportation.

* * *

Andros was going to kill him, and this time Zhane wasn't sure that he wouldn't deserve it.

Glumly, he picked himself up and surveyed the damage.

It could have been worse.

Maybe.

Somehow.

Deca had retreated without his orders, and he hadn't exactly objected. How she had gotten them to the moon in one piece, he had no idea. It hadn't been without cost, though; their shields were gone and the engine was overheated, and he wasn't sure that half the consoles hadn't shorted out.

The lights were still flickering, and as annoying as that was, it didn't bother him nearly as much as the silence.

Deca would likely kill him, too, once her voice was repaired.

Frowning, Zhane tapped at his communicator. He hadn't seen or heard from the Phantom Ranger since Deca had pulled them out of the fight.

"I'm going out there," he said aloud. "If there's no sign of Phantom, then the others need my help in Angel Grove."

He waited a moment, not sure if he was hoping for a reply. None came, and he went to summon his glider.

* * *

"Karone."

Oh, not again. Astronema dragged her eyes away from the viewing globe with a sigh. She could hardly bear to look away when things were going so well for her. But he wouldn't leave her be, and it was spoiling her victory.

Not that she was victorious just yet, but it was coming. She had no doubts.

It was perfect just yet. There was Darkonda, who was being more of an annoyance than she cared to admit. She hadn't counted on him abducting the Red Ranger. It wasn't the abduction that she objected to, but now she had no idea where he'd gone to, and as powerful as the Psycho Rangers were, they couldn't destroy Darkonda if they couldn't find him.

"You can still stop this," Zordon continued.

She smiled faintly. "Still imploring me to see reason, wizard?"

"Your Psycho Rangers have drained Dark Spectre of the last of his energy," he informed her, and her lips curled up into a full smile. "He will not last much longer. You'll no longer be under his control."

She sniffed. "He does not control me."

He wouldn't for much longer. She turned to fully face Zordon, meeting his calm gaze with a smirk. "Why would I stop this?" she demanded of him. "I am Astronema."

"It is only a matter of time," he said, and that, at least, she agreed with.

Dark Spectre would be no more.

She would be glorious.

She would be queen.


	42. Chapter 42

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the Power Rangers.

**Chapter 42**

There'd be no one coming after him this time.

Not because they wouldn't want to, because he knew that they did. They'd probably already tried. But they couldn't abandon Earth, and they wouldn't have any more an idea of where he was than he did himself.

Andros grit his teeth as he stared down the blade of Darkonda's sword. The point pressed into his neck just enough that he didn't dare move his head, but he was backed into a corner with nowhere to go.

Darkonda glowered back at him, unblinking. "I'm going to enjoy killing you."

Andros said nothing. His eyes slid past Darkonda and he squinted into the darkness of wherever they were, but Darkonda leaned a little harder and Andros snapped his gaze back in front of him. If he could just figure out where he was...

"I shouldnt've waited this long to do it." The blade was beneath Andros's chin now, forcing his head up. Darkonda smiled at him coolly. "My mistake."

"That—" Darkonda jabbed a little deeper. Andros tensed more than he already was, but continued without pause. "Wasn't your only mistake. You shouldn't have trusted Divatox."

Darkonda growled dangerously at the name, and this time Andros felt him draw blood. He hissed quietly in pain and held himself very still. He wouldn't be getting out of here alive if he provoked Darkonda again, and he couldn't die here.

He'd escaped Darkonda before, and he would do it again now.

Never mind that the circumstances of his last escape hadn't been quite like this.

Andros closed his eyes. Darkonda had wanted to form an alliance with Divatox to overthrow Dark Spectre. Not that he had any intentions of holding up his end of the bargain, but Divatox probably new that... and it was unlikely she'd had any intention of holding up _her_ end, either. But she'd agreed, for a price—Andros.

He'd escaped because she hadn't kept the same close eye on him that Darkonda had, and she certainly hadn't had a sword cutting into his throat.

"Red Ranger—" Darkonda drew back his sword in preparation for the killing blow.

That was all Andros needed. He flung himself to the side, his eyes shut in case it wasn't enough. But he heard metal against metal and Darkonda growled a curse, and by the time Andros had his eyes open again he'd spun into a defensive stance and raised his fists.

"Bring it on."

He'd probably said smarter things in his life.

Andros twisted out of Darkonda's way, flipping his morpher open as he went. "Let's rocket!"

* * *

This was taking longer than she'd thought.

Astronema drummed her fingers against her staff as she half-listened to Dark Spectre and skimmed through progress updates from the rest of the universe. KO-35 had been razed. Excellent. She smiled to herself, sparing a glance for Zordon. She'd taken the time to send her quantrons there just to prove a point, and it must have worked—he was silent now.

Aquitar was nearly at the point of surrender. They would before their nightfall.

And Eltar... it was beautiful.

"You have failed me," Dark Spectre said, drawing her full attention. Had she won?

"My spies have scoured the entire universe," she said coolly. "I assure you that they have—"

"My energy has been completely drained," he growled, and she clenched her staff to calm her heart.

She hadn't been sure she'd succeeded, when Darkonda had gone and kidnapped the Red Ranger before Psycho Red could destroy either of them. But no matter, the Psychos must have found enough fight to keep themselves busy, and now...

"You are—destroyed?" Just to be sure. "But Dark Spectre, how can that be?"

"My powers are gone," he informed her.

"That can't be."

"It is true."

"Dark Spectre," she murmured. "How much longer?"

"I am fading as we speak," he said gravely. "I will be gone soon."

"Excellent," she said aloud, allowing her smile to show. "You've underestimated me, Dark Spectre."

"Astronema," he breathed. "You."

"Me," she agreed, and cut the comm.

"My princess." Ecliptor appeared out of the shadows. "Are you sure that was wise?"

"I wanted him to know," she said, ignoring his concern. "Now raise the shields. He will try to take us with him, and I'll have none of it. Understood?"

She didn't care that he was still troubled when he nodded. "Yes, my princess."

* * *

The ground beneath him tilted sharply, and he lost his footing. Andros went sprawling across the floor, unable to get his feet beneath him again as everything continued to shake.

Somewhere nearby, an alarm sounded.

He was on a ship, he realized slowly, as it ceased shuddering. One that appeared to be under attack. While trying to escape Darkonda. Who was trying to kill him. This just kept getting better.

"Red Ranger!" He'd thought Darkonda was farther away. Apparently not. "Get back here!"

"I don't think so," Andros muttered to himself, as he found himself on his feet again. "Come and get me, Darkonda!"

This wasn't _Darkonda's_ ship. He'd spent enough months there to know that.

It was vaguely familiar to him, though, and if it just wasn't so dark maybe he'd be able to see...

The ship shook violently, tossing him into the nearest bulkhead. Andros groaned as he picked himself up again; the Power and adrenaline dulled the pain of his wounds, but didn't erase it and the soreness was a distraction he really didn't need right now.

The darkness proved to be a blessing when he managed to duck around the corner before Darkonda came rushing at him. Andros flattened himself against the wall, raising his saber just in case... but Darkonda didn't seem to have noticed yet, and Andros allowed himself a moment to catch his breath.

He wasn't sure how long he had before Darkonda noticed that Andros wasn't running ahead of him anymore, but he suspected it wouldn't be long, and once Darkonda started backtracking he'd be sure to stumble across Andros sooner or later. There were only so many places to hide on a ship after all, and if it was a ship Darkonda had thought to transport them to, it was a safe bet that this was a ship he didn't want to be on for any longer than he had to be.

He had to get out of here and get back to his team.

His back pressed against the wall, Andros started down the corridor. He traded his saber for his Astroblaster and held it at the ready, his eyes darting from side to side. For a ship under attack, it was awfully quiet.

Unless everyone on the ship had already been killed or taken prisoner and the ship was just now being destroyed, in which case he _really_ didn't want to stick around.

Footsteps.

Andros tensed, holding his breath as he strained to listen.

Darkonda?

No, he realized, as his ears registered the high-pitched electronic voices. Quantrons.

Which might be worse, depending on how many there were.

Exhaling, Andros rounded the corner and fired.

The quantron fell after one shot. There was only one other, luckily for him, and Andros ducked under its blade and spun around to fire again.

Andros kept his blaster up as he studied the two quantrons. It was a risky idea—but it had worked for him and Zhane on their failed attempt to rescue Karone, and it might hold off Darkonda long enough for him to escape with his life.

He was just pulling the quantron's helmet over his head when he heard, "Dark Spectre is no more."

That was Ecliptor's voice, and Andros froze before he'd even processed the words. This couldn't be a good sign.

"Astronema, princess of darkness, is your new supreme leader."

"Karone," Andros whispered, eyes widening. He was on the Dark Fortress.

He had to get off of it.

Wait. He hesitated, struck by another thought. It was an even worse idea than this one, but if it worked then this would be over.

If it worked, he would have his sister back.

Andros turned and headed back down the hall. He'd need to find somewhere quiet to wait.

* * *

It was time.

Astronema raised her head high. "Ecliptor! Prepare to teleport to Earth."

He bowed to her. "At once... my _queen_."


End file.
